At least one example of the moth has been recorded almost annually since 1846, but captures seem to have been more numerous in 1861, 1866, 1870, 1879, 1881, and especially so in 1885. The caterpillar (figured on Plate 1) varies in ground colour, which may be pale brown, dark brown, or green. There is a black line along the middle of the back, and a pinkish brown stripe on each side; the latter runs from the ring next the head to the horn, but is interrupted on ring four, and the back from this ring to the horn is covered with linear dots arranged in more or less regular rows; the underside is thickly sprinkled with black-ringed white dots; on each side of ring four there is a conspicuous oval mark made up of a blackish outer ring, an inner ring of yellowish, and one of reddish; the centre is blackish, with some yellowish dots upon it. Head small, pale brown; horn blackish and rather rough.
Pl. 16. 1. OLEANDER HAWK-MOTH. 2. SILVER-STRIPED HAWK-MOTH.
Pl. 17. ELEPHANT HAWK-MOTH. _Egg, natural size and enlarged; caterpillar and chrysalis._
{ 45} It feeds on vine (_Vitis vinifera_) and yellow bedstraw (_Galium verum_); also on fuchsia and virginia-creeper (_Ampelopsis_). August and September are given as months for this caterpillar, but the Newmarket and Epping examples referred to were taken in October.
The moth seems to visit us chiefly in September and October. It does not appear to have been so often taken at flowers as at light, or when resting by day, on a wall or window of a dwelling house or shop, to which it had been attracted at night by the illumination within. The species has a wide range through Africa and Southern Asia to Java, Borneo, and Australia. In Europe it is perhaps only native in southern parts; thence it sometimes wanders through Central Europe to Germany and Holland. The specimens visiting our islands may come from the latter country, or possibly in years of comparative plenty the moths come to us _viâ_ the west coast of Europe.
THE OLEANDER HAWK-MOTH (_Daphnis_ (_Chærocampa_) _nerii_).
The forewings of this handsome moth (Plate 16) are pinkish grey, marbled with various shades of green and olive brown; some of the marbling edged with white. Hind wings greyish { 46} brown shaded with greenish, with a whitish, waved cross line. The colours of the head, thorax, and body are similar to those of the wings.