| OCR Text |
Show 1881.] WESTERN INDIA, BELOOCHISTAN, ETC. 613 The following times of appearance are given-January to March, June, August, and September; but the following species was mixed up with the specimens of P. evanidus. 53. PYRGUS GALBA. Hesperia galba, Fabricius, Ent. Syst. iii. (1) p. 352 (1793). Eight specimens. Kurrachee. The unbroken creamy white band across the centre of the secondaries on the under surface readily separates this species from the preceding, as also the straighter and continuous subbasal white line ; as a rule, but not invariably, the under surface of P. galba is darker. HETEROCERA. SPHINGID^E. 54. CH^EROCAMPA NESSUS (NO. 1). Sphinx nessus, Drury, 111. Exot. Ent. ii. p. 46, pi. 27. fig. 1 (1773). One specimen. Belgaum. " One specimen taken in October " (C. S.). Of other species found at Kurrachee are mentioned :-C. celerio, rarely in November and December; C. elpenor (probably C.fraterna), one "specimen, probably taken in December, but the month not recorded at the time; and G. oldenlandia?, one specimen in December ; Deilephila livornica, one specimen taken in March. 55. PERGESA ACTEUS (NO. 2). Sphinx acteus, Cramer, Pap. Exot. iii. pi. 248, A (1782). One specimen. Belgaum. The only other species of the family noted by Major Swinhoe are :- Cephonodes hylas, one specimen of which was taken at Kurrachee in December; Daphnis nerii, taken from March to M a y ; and Acherontia morta, which is common in July and August. Respecting D. nerii, Major Swinhoe says :-" There appear to be three broods here, one after the other. I have taken caterpillars full-grown in all three months on the oleander which abounds everywhere in these parts : the caterpillars eat the flower only of the double garden oleander, and the leaves only of the wild single oleander. How this is I can't explain; but it is a fact I have carefully observed both in the jungles and the gardens here and when rearing them in m y house. They are emerald-green at first, then turn dull yellow, and finally black before they leave off feeding; they burrow a few inches into the earth at the roots of the oleander, make a smooth cell, spin a very little silk, and the moth emerges in from 16 to 20 days. Out of 5 caterpillars in m y breeding-cage, 3 became moths in 16 days after the chrysalis was formed and 2 in 20 days, there being one male in both instances." |
