HIPPOTION. 



413 



Pupa. — Cremaster triangular, ending in a thin shaft with 

 a simple point. Colour of head, thorax and wing-case soiled 

 white, marbled with dark brown on dorsum ; abdomen pale 

 orange speckled with black, the hind bevels of segments 8 to 

 11 darker ; spiracles and cremaster black. Length 47 mm. ; 

 breadth 12 mm. ; cremaster 3*5 mm. 



Habits. — Food-plants : Arismma Mart., Amorphophallus 

 Bl., family Aroidese, and Impatiens Linn., family Geraniacese. 

 Eggs are laid from May to September, several often being found 

 on one plant. The larva feeds voraciously. In the last 

 instar, when the colour is dark brown, the larva lies during 

 the day on the stem of the food-plant close to the ground, and 

 feeds at night. The anterior segments can be much elongated, 

 but when alarmed the head and anterior segments are retracted 

 into the swollen fifth segment, which becomes still more 

 swollen, showing up the ocelli to full advantage. The moths 

 may frequently be caught when feeding at flowers after dusk, 

 and are among the most common of those that enter lighted 

 bungalows at night, and are also among the most beautiful in 

 colour and form. 



Genus HIPPOTION Hiibner. (Fig. 105). 

 Hiibner, 1822, p. 134 (part.) ; Roths. & Jord., 1903, p. 747. 



Genotype : celerio (Linn.). 



Imago. — <$Q. Medium- or small-sized moths, fore wing very 

 narrow and sharply pointed, abdomen also sharply pointed ; 



rJfr 



w 



Fig. 105. — Hippotion Hiibn. 



A, H. velox (Fabr.), <$, end of 10th segment, dorsal view ; B, 10th sternite, 

 ventral view ; C, penis-sheath ; D, $ vaginal plate. E, H. eche- 

 clus (Boisd.), o*, end of 10th segment, dorsal view (x. t, 10th tergite, 

 x. v, 10th sternite) ; F, harpe ; G, penis-sheath. H, H. rafflesi 

 (ButL), <J, 10th sternite ; I, harpe ; J, H. boerhaviee (Fabr.), <J, 

 10th sternite ; K, harpe. 



fore wing with a number of lines from apex to inner margin ; 

 hind wing red except in velox. Palpus simple externally, 

 first segment densely scaled at apex on inner side, second 



