212 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



with a few blackish scales towards the anal angle. Expanse of wings 3ms. 1 line. 

 On the upper surface of the primaries this species most nearly resembles D. dahlii, 

 of the secondaries D. hippophaes, oi the body D. esulae, and on the undersurface 

 D. lathy rus. The olive tint of the thorax and the markings on the primaries are 

 greener than in any species with which I am acquainted. Foodplant : The larva 

 of this was found on almost every plant of a species of Euphorbia, which is very 

 common on the rocky hills here. The' larvae are very beautiful and conspicuous, 

 and are very different in colouring according to their different stages of growth. 

 It is quite distinct from a common one obtained in Kashmir, which was found 

 on a different species of Euphorbia, and was abundant at Goolmurg. LENGTH OF 

 pupal stage: About half the cocoons produced moths in about- three weeks 

 after changing ; the remainder are still (December 31st, 1879) alive in the pupal 

 state ; curiously enough the first larva that changed is among the latter. Larva : 

 About 3" long when at rest. Anterior segments attenuated, not retractile ; skin 

 smooth and soft. General colour black, with white dots and spots ; a subdorsal 

 row of large white roundish spots, one on each segment, either yellow, orange or 

 red ; a dorsal stripe varying in colour, but generally the same as the spiracular 

 blotches ; it is, however, sometimes only partially represented, and sometimes 

 absent ; when present, it is broadest at the interstices, where it sometimes differs 

 in colour from the portions between ; feet, head, back of head, and base of horn 

 either yellow, orange or red, generally the same as the spiracular blotches and 

 dorsal stripe; horn slightly rough, curved, rather longer than the segments, black, 

 with the rear-base either orange, red or yellow (being the continuation of the 

 dorsal stripe, broken by the horn, and is consequently absent in those which 

 have no dorsal stripe) ; spiracles white and rather narrow ovals ; head globular; 

 belly pale yellowish-green, extending up the interstices to above the spiracles. 

 Kandahar, beginning of May, abundant, all sizes. VARIATION OF LARVA : At the 

 end of May most of the larvae found presented a different appearance; the black 

 disappears more or less, and with it many of the small white spots. In some 

 cases the black only remains as a ring round the larger white spots ; the ground- 

 colour, therefore, becomes yellowish-green or yellow, varying very considerably; 

 the horn becomes black at the apical half, with the basal half the same colour as 

 the dorsal stripe. The larvae are, therefore, exceedingly variable in colouring 

 (the large white spots always remaining the same, however) ; some specimens 

 are, consequently, so unlike one another as, at hist, to appear different species ; 

 every intermediate form, however, being found does away with the idea. Habitat : 

 The foodplant grows in the nullahs and on the slopes of the rocky hills, and is very 

 common, but scattered; and almost every plant that now (end of May) has any 

 leaves left on it, has several larvae feeding on it. Habit of larva : This larva, 

 like others of the same genus, emits a large amount of a green fluid from its 

 mouth on being irritated in the least for the first time, not often doing it a second 

 time. Pupation : This species does not change colour when seeking for a suitable 

 place for its cocoon, which is at or near the surface of the ground, amongst 

 rubbish (Butler quoting Roberts in litt.J. 



Staudinger makes (Cat., 3rd ed., p. 102) peplidis, Chr., a synonym 

 of robertsi, Butl., and diagnoses the latter as : " Scapulis ubique 

 albo-marginatis, al. ant. grisescentibus.' ; Hampson writes ( Ind. Moths, 

 i., p. 99) that robertsi " differs from gallii in the thorax, having two 

 white stripes, the tegulse being fringed with white on the inner side 

 also ; the abdomen as in evplwrbiae, forewings as in gallii, the hind- 

 wings with the band pinker. Some specimens have the segments of 

 the abdomen fringed with blue scales, and the veins on the outer 

 area of the forewings streaked with white. Kandahar, Simla. Exp. 

 82mm." 



Egglaying. — The eggs may be laid singly or in small batches 

 on the tops of the young shoots of the Euphorbia, one batch found 

 consisted of about a dozen eggs (Harrison). The parents do not 

 seem to exercise much judgment in depositing their ova ; sometimes 

 three or four young larvae are to be seen upon a small plant not 

 more than 3ms. high, and no other plant within 100yds. of them ; 

 iii many instances again, several small larvae were noticed upon 



