22 SMEEINTHUS POPULI. 



a similar spot behind each spiracle, and just behind 

 each ventral proleg was a bar of yellow followed by a 

 bar of crimson. The ground colour of these larvae 

 was then of a very brilliant yellowish-green, studded 

 with rough yellow points, of which the largest and most 

 prominent formed the slanting yellow lateral stripes, of 

 these the two thickest passed upwards and backwards 

 from the side of the fifth to the back of the sixth 

 segment, and from the side of the tenth to the tip of 

 the caudal horn, which was likewise yellow. 



One larva was bluish-green, with the points and 

 stripes quite pale yellow. (W. B., Note Book IV, 141.) 



Sphinx Convolvuli. 

 Plate XXI, fig. 2, and Plate XXII, fig. 1. 



My warm thanks are due to Mr. H. Laver, of Col- 

 chester, for the loan of a larva, and to Mr. James J. 

 Walker, of Sheerness, for the pupa of this grand species 

 during the autumn of 1872. Previously I had seen 

 but the dead specimen of the larva recorded in the 

 6 Entomologist's Monthly Magazine/ vol. V, p. 161 ; 

 and it may be supposed how elated I was to have the 

 opportunity of depicting a living example, and of noting 

 its movements and behaviour. 



The larva, which had been found in a field at Mersea, 

 in Essex, reached me on the 24th September, 1872, 

 continued to feed until noon of the 28th, and retired 

 to earth on the evening of the 29th ; I had therefore 

 the pleasure of watching it for five days. 



From the time of its arrival it showed no aversion 

 to strong daylight, nor any disposition to wander away 

 from the food supplied to it, but remained attached to 

 Convolvulus arvensis, although exposed openly each 

 day for eight or nine hours on a table near a window, 

 with the afternoon sun frequently shining on it during 

 that time ; in all those hours its position was but little 

 changed, merely advanced further along the stem by 



