Vol. xxiii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 9 



Description of the Larva and first bred specimens of 



Sphinx (Hyloicus) franckii Neum. (Lcpid.). 



By ELLISON A. SMYTH, JR., Blacksburg, Virginia. 



(Plate II.) 



A half mile avenue of young ash trees on the Experiment 

 farm lands of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacks- 

 burg, Virginia, has for some years yielded me larvae of Cera- 

 tomia nndiilosa and Sphinx (Hyloicus} chersis, whenever 

 sought for in season ; at times, Protoparcc rustica in numbers, 

 and at intervals Chlaenograunna jasminearum; with the larvae 

 of these species I have been intimate for years, and know them 

 apart in any instar. 



On the 25th of last August (1910), one of the boys, Mr. 

 Barringer, hunting with me for Protoparce rustic a in the ash 

 avenue, brought me six full grown larvae, of the general type 

 of chersis, all from one ash tree, which larvae were altogether 

 new to me. By elimination, I concluded that they were either 

 canade'nsis or franckii, with the chances largely in favor of 

 the latter. Although lacking the anterior fleshy protuberances 

 of Ceratomia amyntor, a pair of dorsolateral, tuberculated 

 lines, strongly suggested the dorsal serrated ridge of that spe- 

 cies. I sent a specimen at once to Dr. Beutenmuller, which 

 reached him ready to pupate, and unfortunately died before 

 he could have it figured. He agreed with me that it could be 

 only canadensis or franckii. Of my remaining five larvae, two 

 died, one pupated on the surface of the breeding cage, and two 

 went under earth before I could photograph or make a colored 

 sketch. Fortunately, as a preliminary step to a water-color 

 sketch, I had taken a careful description the afternoon they 

 were brought to me, intending to paint in the morning. 



The following is the description of these larvae, full grown, 

 and at the end of their last instar: 



Full length, 3)4 inches; pea-green dorsally and dorso-laterally, 

 darker green laterally and ventrally; two dorsal longitudinal lines \\ 

 inch apart, green dorsad, edged with yellowish white laterad, and arnu' I, 

 on iirst three segments, with rather prominent, yellowish, pointed tu- 



