SMERINTHUS TILIjE. 107 



the elm bark, sometimes as high up as six feet from 

 the ground. The pupa is stoutish, about 35 mm. long, 

 cylindrical, tapering somewhat to the head ; the abdo- 

 men tapers a little, but ends abruptly with a triangular 

 flattened rough spike on the dorsal side tipped with a 

 small strong spine ending in two little hooks ; the skin 

 is finely granulated ; the colour a warm dark brown 

 with a tinge of red. (J. H., 28, 10, 86.) 



ACHERONTIA ATROPOS. 



Plate XXI, fig. 1. 



Mr. Buckler figured the dark variety of this larva 

 August 9th, 1858, and noted the food-plant on which 

 it had been found, Solarium dulcamara. In 1858 I had 

 larvas brought to me August 3rd, 4th, and 5th, from 

 potato fields ; they went to earth in a day or two ; a 

 moth emerged November 6th. In 1864 I had a moth 

 given me on October 4th, which had been lately cap- 

 tured and starved to death, the only method which 

 seems to commend itself to the non-entomological 

 mind in dealing with this great creature. In 1865 I had 

 a moth on September 22nd, and I found one moribund 

 on some stones September 15th, 1876. Albin figured 

 the larva, and says, " It was taken about the middle 

 of July on the jessamine full-fed,' ' and the moth " came 

 forth at the latter end of October. There being but 

 one of these caterpillars it could not be determined 

 whether that is the usual season, most others of the 

 horn-tail kind lying in the ground all winter till May." 

 The " usual season ,J for the imago is July, but a 

 certain proportion of the moths come out in September 

 and October, after a very short sojourn in the pupa 

 stage. 



I never saw the egg or young larva, and can say no 

 more of the full-grown larva than may be gathered 

 from the figures ; the shape of the horn is noticeable. 



