156 



THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 



and rapid flight. The hind pair are very much shorter 



and also quite narrow. 



" The clear-winged Sphinxes, belonging to the genus 



Sesia, are very pretty. They do not seem like moths. 



Instead of moving about 

 heavily -after nightfall, they 

 fly in the warm sunshine 

 and hover over sweet flow- 

 ers with all the activity of 

 bees. When their wings are 

 closed they are about as 

 larsre as a sfood-sized bum- 



Clear-winged Sphinx. 



ble-bee. They never light while taking their food, but 

 dart from flower to flower with all the grace and rapidity 

 of a humming-bird. We will call them the Fairy moths. 

 The body of these insects is somewhat heavy, of a dark 

 brown color, and covered with a feathery down, but the 

 wings are exquisitely delicate. They expand about two 

 inches, are long and narrow, and vibrate with great ra- 

 pidity when the little insect hangs over a flower. They 

 are composed of transparent lace-work with a reddish- 

 brown border, which is very narrow except at the tip 

 of the fore wings. The antennae are long, and enlarged 

 towards the end, but not knobbed." 



Mr. Benedict stopped a moment and leaned on his desk, 

 regarding the boys attentively. 



