POLYPTYCHUS. By Dr. M. Hering. 
365 
a vast number of species with different kinds of elements, which must probably be divided later on;'the larva 
is known of but few species; it shows the type of that of Sphinx ocellata. Numerous species in Africa and 
Madagascar, but few in the Indian region. 
P. grayi Wkr. (63 a). Forewing with an undulatingly dentate margin, varying between grey and brownish, 
with transverse lines and a stigma, and a subbasal dot or streak; the latter is large, double or fused in the 
typical form; the first discal line is almost quite straight, the darkened marginal area 'does not extend to the 
tornus, the ground-colour is more brownish-grey. Cape Colony and British and German East Africa. -— In 
niloticus Jord., from the White Nile, the undulate line across the cell-end is absent, and between the discal line 
and the submarginal line there is no undulate line. Fringes of hindwings not speckled. 
P. assimilis R. <b J. (62 f). Forewing narrower, more bluish-grey, the 1 st discal line curved, the dark 
marginal area almost extends to the interior angle. Betchuanaland, German South-West Africa. 
P. digitatus Karsch (62 f) is separated from assimilis by the forewing showing instead of the subbasal 
dot a short transverse line; the first two antemedian lines being almost parallel in assimilis are here convergent 
in front, the brown marginal area at the costal margin is broader, the postdiscal line hardly bent. West Africa, 
from Angola to Cameroon and Spanish Guinea. 
P. erosus Jord. (65 b). Similar to digitatus, the space between the two antemedian lines is filled with 
dark, the discal line is single, behind it shaded with dark, the postdiscal line undulating, the dark marginal 
area similarly reduced as in grayi, but at the costal margin somewhat broader. German East Africa. 
P. virescens Btlr. (63 a) is easily recognisable by the green forewings. They are light greyish green, with 
indistinct darker olive green transverse lines. The first 3 antemedian ones are indistinctly undulated; from the 
cross-vein towards the margin a darker, more distinct straight one, then 3 more being indistinct; the submarginal 
line is indicated by dark dots on the veins; fringes dark brown. The 2nd and 3rd as well as the 4th and 
5th are united into bands by the spaces between them being filled up. Hindwing greyish-brown, at the anal 
angle and distal margin above it one dark spot each proximad bordered with light. Under surface of both 
wings greenish, basal half of the r forewing mostly brown like the marginal area which is more or less dusted 
with whitish;'hindwing with 4 olive transverse lines being grey towards the anal margin. Gold Coast, Congo. 
Rare. 
P. trisecta Auriv. (63 a). Distal margin of forewing straight, forewing reddish-grey with a short subbasal 
line, a strong first and feeble second antemedian line, both being convergent in front; discal and postdiscal lines 
straight and parallel, at the tornus a dark spot. Apex pointedly produced, like the hindwing at the anal angle. 
Congo. 
P. orthographus R. J . (63 a). Forewing in the basal half brown, dusted with whitish, the same at the 
margin, with straw-colour between; all the lines straight, 2 antemedian ones and two postmedian ones, a dark 
spot before the tornus and a dot at the cross-vein. Hindwing with a darker marginal and basal area and 2 
transverse lines. $ above and beneath darker, in the forewing the margin is convex, the apex produced. 
P. poliades R. J. Near to orthographus, pinkish-grey with a dark dorsal stripe on the thorax. Subbasal 
line thin, short, a more distinct line at at the costal margin curved, a double antemedian line being curved 
in front, behind and in the middle, the space between being brown; the straight discal line at the costal margin 
more proximal than in orthographus. The dark spot before the anal angle is absent. Hindwing darker than forewing, 
at the anal angle grey, with traces of a brown median line and a streak before the anal angle. Expanse: 66 mm. 
Ashanti. 
P. carteri Btlr. (63 b). <$ with a straight, $ with a convex margin of the forewing. Forewing grey or 
brownish-grey, a yellow stigma surrounded by dark, 2 or 3 transverse lines before the centre and 2 behind it, 
the last being only distinct in front; conspicuous are a large dark brown subbasal spot and a similar one at 
the tornus. Hindwing similarly coloured. Tornus projecting, with 2 distinct brown spots. Sierra Leone to 
Cameroon. 
P. goodi Holt. Forewing at the margin sinnately dentate, fawn-coloured, basally with a pink hair-tuft, 
with a dark subbasal and 2 discal transverse bands, the exterior one being irregular and sinuate; stigma black, 
filled with white. Then follow 2 more, parallel lines, at last another submarginal line which disappears at vein 3 
in a spot of blackish-blue scales. Hindwing creamy white at the costal margin, light brown at the anal margin, 
anal angle and fringes, otherwise deep pinkish-red. Expanse: 110 mm. But one 2 known from the Ogove R. 
P. pygarga Karsch (63 b). Forewing in the A mouse-coloured, in the $ brown; stigma yellow, surrounded 
by brown; $ with, $ without a dark subbasal dot, transverse lines indistinct. Hindwing varying between grey 
and brown with 2 dark dots before the tornus and a dark longitudinal stripe before the anal margin. In the 
type the margin of the forewing is straight (West Africa), whereas in corsvexa R. <£■ J. it is convex between 
vein 5 and the tornus, and the body and wings are here more pink. Tanganyika. 
P. olivolinea Joic. & Kaye is allied to pygarga, with olive-brown markings: an antemedian transverse 
band, being narrowed in the centre, before it 2 thin subbasal transverse lines. On the centre of the inner margin 
an olive trapezoid spot extending to vein 4. Marginal area pale olive grey, bordered between vein 4 and 6 by 
grayi. 
niloticus. 
assimilis. 
digitatus. 
erosus. 
virescens. 
trisecta. 
ortho¬ 
graphus. 
poliades. 
carteri. 
goodi. 
pygarga. 
convexa. 
olivolinea. 
