MACROGLOSSUM. 347 



at apex with long scaling ; shorter mid- tibial spur on inner 

 side with comb of more or less heavy spines ; mid-tarsal comb 

 present, but the spines not long ; spurs of hind tibia very 

 unequal ; paronychium with two pairs of lobes, pulvillus 

 present ; first segment of hind tarsus somewhat compressed, 

 with additional spines on outer surface. Distal edges of wings 

 entire ; SC 2 and R 1 of hind wing from upper angle of cell, 

 R 2 central, R 3 and M 1 rather close together but always separate " 

 (Roths. & Jord., 1903, p. 616). 



Egg. — Broadly ovoid ; surface smooth and shining ; colour 

 pale yellow, yellowish -green or green. 



Larva. — Head small, round, semi-oval or subquadrate ; 

 body tapering more or less gently frontad from segment 5 ; 

 horn variable in length, usually straight. Surface dull, 

 covered with minute hairs, tubercles small except in M. bomby- 

 lans, which has a dorso-lateral line of spine-like tubercles. 

 Colour variable specifically and often individually, commonly 

 green, but dimorphism and polymorphism occur. Longitudinal 

 stripes are usually present and oblique stripes also occur. 

 No ocelli. 



Pupa. — Slender in build ; dorsum of segments 4 to 8 

 flattened ; segments 12 to 14 together forming an equilateral 

 cone ; basal half of tongue in a laterally flattened sheath, 

 carinate ventrally ; tip of tongue usually spatulate ; antenna 

 almost equal in length to fore leg ; often a narrow coxal piece. 

 Surface moderately shining, superficially corrugate and pitted ; 

 no sculpturing on segment 4. Colour yellowish or brownish, 

 with black markings. Spiracles of abdominal segments lying 

 in black patches of variable size and shape in different species. 



Habits. — Most of the larvae feed on plants of the family 

 Rubiaceae, some on Loganiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. The eggs 

 are laid singly on the underside of a leaf. The larvae lie 

 stretched straight out, or with the head and anterior segments 

 bent upwards. When alarmed some species eject green 

 fluid from the mouth. The dorsum usually becomes darker 

 before pupation, which takes place in a more or less well-formed 

 cocoon on the surface. Some of the pupae produce a dull 

 knocking noise when moving the abdomen from side to 

 side. The moths of many species of the genus do not 

 climb up from the ground in order to expand their wings, 

 but expand them while sitting on the ground. In the 

 resting position the wings are held horizontal, the fore 

 wing completely covering the hind wing, the dorsum of 

 the abdomen left exposed. The flight is very rapid. Most 

 of the species are on the wing at about dusk, but some 

 may be seen feeding and laying their eggs at any time of 

 the day. The eggs are deposited while the moth hovers on 

 the wing. Some species appear to hibernate as imagos, as 



