NORTH AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA. 125 



AMPHION Hub. 

 Verzeichuiss, 1816, p. 135. 



l^ody plump, robust, wings comparatively short and narrow. 

 Head small, not retracted ; eyes small, semi-globose, fringed with 

 distinct lashes ; palpi moderate, projecting straight forward, forming 

 with the vestiture of front a short snout ; tongue nearly as long as 

 the body; antennae fusiform, with a large, slender, curved hook at 

 tip ; slightly ciliate in the % , simple in the 9 • Thorax jjlump, 

 narrowing abruptly in front of the base of primaries, widening pos- 

 teriorly ; vestiture smooth, upturned and forming indefinite tufts 

 posteriorly. Abdomen j)lump, narrowing suddenly to the tip, which 

 is provided with a fan-like tuft ; the posterior edge of segments with 

 several series of scale-like spinules. Legs rather short; posterior 

 longest and stoutest ; anterior and middle tibiie with a few spinules 

 near tip ; posterior apparently unarmed ; spurs of median and hind 

 tibiae small. 



Primaries narrow, short, outer margin bisinuate ; excavated below 

 apex and again above the anal angle. Anal angle prominent, hind 

 margin sinuate ; venation of the usual type, vein 10 wanting. Sec- 

 ondaries with the outer margin excavated before the anal angle, 

 which is somewhat prominent. The supra-anal plate and hook are 

 modified into a structure most nearly resembling a lobster's claw, 

 the upper part largest and stoutest, the lower more slender and some- 

 what more pointed. The side piece is rather short and broad, the 

 tip oblique ; the clasper a small curved spur. The corneous sheath 

 of penis has a distinct curved hook at tip. 



A strongly marked genus. The very plump form and the short 

 abdomen, which narrows so suddenly, the small, stout wings, the 

 fan-like anal tuft and the fusiform antennae are characteristic features. 



We have but a single species : 



A. nessiis Cram.. Pap. Ex. ii, p. 16, pi. 107, fig. D, Ffphinx : Fabr., Sp. Ins. ii, 

 140, Sphinx ; Mant., Ins. ii, 92, Sphinx ; Ent. Syst. iii, 1, 355, Sphinx ; Gmel., 

 Ed. Linu. S. N. v. 2372, Sphinx; Hiib., Verz. 135, Amphion ; Enc. Meth. pi. 

 66, fig. 1, Sphinx; Harr., Sill. Journ. 36, 308, Thyreus? ; Wlk., C. B. M. Lej). 

 Het. viil, 99, Thyreus; Clera., Proc. Ac. N. Sci. Phil, iv, 136, Thyreus; Morr., 

 Syu. 1862, 157, Thyreus; G. & R., Proc. E. S. Ph. v. 151, 176, Amphion ; Beth.. 

 Can. Eut. i, 10, 47 (49), Amphion: Bd.. Sp. Gen. Lep. Het. i, 316, pi. 1, figs. 

 Sand 6, larva and pupa, Pogocolon ; Andrews,*' Can. Eut. ix, 19, Thyreus; 

 Butl., Tr. Zool. Soc. Lond. ix, 535, Amphion; Pilate, Pap. ii. 66; Fernald,- 

 Sphing. 20, Amphion ; Holland.* Can. Ent. xviii, 102; Grt., Hawk Moths 28, 

 Amphion. 



