642 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



of the insect is rather more than a foot, thus evidently exceeding 

 the length of onr page. The insect is a native 

 of Brazil. 



The general colour of the wings is very much 

 like that of our Death's-head Moth, with the 

 exception of a bold yellow patch at the base of 

 the lower pair. The whole of the body is pale 

 grey, powdered with tiny black specks, and each 

 segment is edged with black, while along the 

 sides are five bold patches of orange. The 

 enormous proboscis is very wide and flat at the 

 base, and tapers wdtli a most beautiful grada- 

 tion to the tip, where it is comparatively small. 



I have not been able to obtain any informa- 

 tion as to the habits of this rare and splendid 

 insect, but I think, judging by the length of the 

 proboscis, that it must feed on the wing, and 

 obtain its nourishment by thrusting the pro- 

 boscis into the nectars of some long-belled 

 flower, which could not be reached by the 

 proboscis of any ordinary insect. 



The name of Smerinthus is very familun to 

 English entomologists 

 pretty Lime 

 Hawk Moth, 

 which belongs 

 to this genus, 

 and which is 

 so difficult to 

 see as it hangs 

 among tlie 

 leaves with its 

 wings dro()[)- 

 ing just like 

 the foliage 

 on which it 

 rests. 



The word 

 is Greek, and literally signifies 



1 I . ■^7h — Maorosila ciuentiis 

 (Brown, chocolate, and jellow.) 



a fisliing-line, or 



cable. 



