110 SPHINX LIGUSTRI. 



Sphinx ligustri. 

 PI. XXII, fig. 2. 



Mr. Buckler figured this larva on August 7th, 1861, 

 and noted the food-plant ash ; the variety he figured 

 was found in the grounds of Colchester Workhouse 

 by Mr. H. Laver, September 6th, 1882. 



I have of course a great many records of this 

 species in all its stages ; I have bred the moth often 

 on various dates ranging from May 30th to July 14th. 

 I have occasionally captured • the moth, July 5th and 

 20th ; eggs laid on July 5th were hatched on July 

 14th, nine days after; larvas I have captured, one 

 about an iuch long, on August 7th, another full-fed on 

 August 1 7th ; others on September 7th and 14th ; 

 some went to earth September 10th and 20th. 



In 1886 Mr. G. T. Porritt sent me eggs on July 

 15th ; the larvse hatched July 21st, moulted four 

 times — July 28th, August 3rd, 9th, 15th, and went to 

 earth August 25th to 27th ; I fed them on privet, and 

 have often taken the larva on this food, also on 

 laurustinus and Phillyrea ; Albin gives lilac and holly 

 also. 



The egg of ligustri is broadish oval in outline, 

 plump, about 1*75 mm. long, and varying in width, 

 some 1*45 mm. wide, others 1*25 mm., the shell rather 

 glossy, smooth, in colour a palish tint of full green. 

 Before hatching the dark horn of the larva shows 

 through the shell. The young larva is 4*5 mm. long, 

 with a limp horn 2 mm. long; the skin is thin and 

 smooth, just a little wrinkled, the places of the usual 

 tubercular dots marked by little bristles; the horn, 

 which grows darker after the larva has left the egg 

 some time, is set all over with extremely short hairs, 

 and ends in two little points each bearing a bristle ; 

 the larva at once attacks the edge of the leaf of the 

 food-plant; before the first moult the eight subdivi- 



