1892.] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 83 



viously clubbed tip of the antenna. They retain their prismatic 

 form and the little recurved hook, but are not fusiform. This 

 subfamily contains the clear-winged forms, Hemaris, and a small 

 series of opaque-winged species which have short, broad fore- 

 tibiae, armed at tip with long stout claws, Lepiscsia. The species 

 are largely diurnal in habit, flying swiftly in the bright sunshine 

 and hovering over the flowers, on the nectar of which they feed. 

 The tongue is well developed, and often nearly as long as the 

 insect itself. 



The Chcerocampinae have the antennae more or less distinctly 

 fusiform, and the tongue well developed, often longer than the 

 body. There is a tendency to a bright, banded maculation, the 

 abdomen is often tufted, and the fore-wings have the outer margin 

 sinuate or angulate. In Enyo the thorax also is crested. It is 

 in this family that the larvae often have a knob or tubercle instead 

 of the usual horn. Many of the species are diurnal, as in the 

 preceding subfamily, and they are often as swift of flight. 



Th^ Sphinginae all have fusiform antennae, and usually a long 

 tongue. In some of our species this organ is from six to eight 

 inches in length, and from that it dwindles until it becomes obso- 

 lete in Ellenia. The fore-wings are narrow and lanceolate, and 

 the markings are longitudinally strigose, not banded. They are 

 usually crepuscular, flying at twilight, and from their darting- 

 motions and their habit of hovering over the food-plant, the term 

 " Hawk Moths" has been derived. 



The Smerinthinae are quite different in many respects. The 

 tongue is obsolete, unless for feeding in all forms, the antennae 

 are often serrated, and sometimes pectinated, and the primaries 

 are often quite broad and usually angulated or dentate. In Cres- 

 sonia the male antennae have two branches to each joint, as in 

 the Saturniidae. 



A brief statement of subfamily differences is as follows . 



Antennae distinctly clubbed at tip ... . Macroglossinae. 



Antennae not distinctly clubbed, usually fusiform. 

 Tongue long and strong. 



Primaries with outer margin sinuate or angulate . Chcerocampiuae. 

 Primaries with outer margin even . \ Sphinginae. 



Tongue weak and short. 



Primaries with outer margin even \ Sphinginae. 



Primaries angulated or dentate . . Smerinthinae. 



