[103] “Catalogue of the Lepidop. Insects of the E.I. Co.,” by Horsfield and Moore. [Pl. VIII]., Fig. 6.
[104] [The larvæ of four other species of this subfamily have since been made known through Mr. Butler’s figures. Smerinthus Tatarinovii, Ménetriés (loc. cit. Pl. XC., Fig. 16), from Japan, is “pale sea-green, tuberculated with white, with seven lateral, oblique, crimson-edged white stripes.” There is no trace of the subdorsal line shown in the figure, so that this species thus appears to be in the third phyletic stage of development. Smerinthus Planus, Walker, from China (loc. cit. Pl XCII., Fig. 11), is “pale green, with white or yellow lateral stripes.” A trace of the subdorsal line remains on the front segments, thus showing that the species is in the second phyletic stage of development. Triptogon Roseipennis, Butler, from Hakodadi (loc. cit. Pl. XCI., Fig. 6), is represented as yellow, with seven oblique white stripes, with large irregular triangular red spots extending from the anterior edge of the stripes, nearly across each segment. It is probably in the third phyletic stage. The Indian Polyptychus Dentatus, Cramer (loc. cit. Pl. XCI., Fig. 10), is “bluish-green at the sides, with oblique purple stripes, with a broad, dorsal, longitudinal, golden-green band, bordered by subtriangular purple spots, one above each stripe.” The dorsal band is bordered by coloured stripes, which may be the subdorsal lines; but the position in which it is figured, and its very different mode of coloration, make it very difficult to compare satisfactorily with the foregoing species. The genus Ambulyx is closely allied to the Smerinthinæ, and the two following species may be here mentioned: A. Gannascus, Stoll, figured by Burmeister (loc. cit. Pl. XIII., Fig. 5), is green, with a yellow subdorsal line, and seven oblique white lateral stripes, edged with red. A. Liturata, Butl. (loc. cit. Pl. XCI., Fig. 2), is yellowish-green above, passing into bluish-green below. The subdorsal is present on the three front segments, and is followed by a row of white, elongated patches, one on each segment, these being the upper portions of a row of lateral oblique stripes. The thickened upper extremities of the latter are edged with red, and their arrangement is very suggestive of their having arisen from the breaking up of a subdorsal line. R.M.]
[105] [Butler catalogues 43 species of this genus. R.M.]
[106] The deposition of eggs was accomplished by the insect laying hold of the point of a twig with its legs during flight, and curving its abdomen upwards against a leaf, the wings being kept vibrating. The egg is instantaneously fastened to the leaf. This operation is repeated from twice to four times successively, the moth then hovering over and sucking at the flowers for some time. The eggs exactly resemble in colour the young green buds of Galium.
[107] [Figures of a remarkable case of gynandromorphism in a butterfly (Cirrochroa Aoris, Doubl.) have recently been published by Prof. Westwood (Trans. Ent. Soc. 1880, p. 113). On the right fore- and hind-wings of a male specimen there are patches of female colouring, thus bearing out in a very striking manner the above views concerning the non-fusibility of characters (in this case sexual) which have been long fixed. Complete (i.e. half-and-half) gynandromorphism is not uncommon in butterflies. R.M.]
[108] [I have long held the opinion that the di- and trimorphism displayed by certain butterflies has originated through polymorphism from ordinary variability. I will not here enter into details, but will only cite a few instances indicating the general direction of the arguments. The phenomenon to which I refer is that so ably treated of by Mr. A. R. Wallace (see Part I., p. [32], note [20]) and others. One male has often two or more distinctly coloured females, and in such cases one form of the female generally resembles the male in colour. Cases of polymorphic mimetic females may for the present be excluded, in order to reduce the argument to its greatest simplicity. Thus, in the case of native species, Colias Edusa has two females, one having the orange ground-colour of the male, and the other the well-known light form, var. Helice. So, also, Argynnis Paphia has a normal female and the dark melanic form var. Valezina. Numerous other cases might be mentioned among exotic species; and, looking at the phenomenon as a whole, it is seen to be one of gradation. For instance, our common “Blues” (Plebeius Icarus, P. Thetis, &c.) have females showing a complete gradation between the ordinary blue male and the brown female coloration. In a large number of specimens of Callosune Eupompe in my cabinet, collected in Arabia by the late J. K. Lord, there is a completely graduated series of females, varying from individuals having the scarlet tips of the fore-wings as strongly developed as in the males, to specimens without a trace of such colouring; and the same is the case with other species of this and allied genera. In such instances it is only necessary for the intermediate female forms to become extinct, in order to have true cases of dimorphism. It is significant that in 1877, when Colias Edusa appeared in this country in such extraordinary profusion, large numbers of intermediate forms were captured, these forming an uninterrupted series connecting the normal female and the var. Helice. R.M.]
[109] [Many of our best describers of caterpillars, such as the late Edward Newman, Messrs. Hellins and Buckler, &c., have described the various forms of numerous polymorphic species, but not from the point of view of the comparative morphology and ontogeny of the markings. R.M.]
[110] [In Butler’s revision both these species are placed in the genus Hemaris. R.M.]
[111] [This species is figured also by Butler (loc. cit. Pl. XC., Fig. 9), who represents it with seven oblique green lines between the spiracles and below the subdorsal line. R.M.]
[112] “Cat. E. Ind. Co. Mus.,” [Pl. VIII]., Fig. 2. [Walker, Lepidop. Heter. VIII., p. 92, No. 14, 1856; this species is strictly confined to Java. R.M.]