204 COMMON BRITISH MOTHS 



This ^a'oup consists of three families — the Spliingidie, iiK-hidiiiK 

 the largest of the ' Hawks,' and the ' Bee Hawks,' the Sesiidie or 

 ' Clearwings,' and the Zij(i(C}ii(lie, including the * Foresters ' and the 

 ' Burnets ' — numbering in all about forty species. 



Family — Sphingid.i; 



This family is named from a fancied resemblance of the larvte 

 to the celebrated Egyptian sphinx. The perfect insects have very 

 thick bodies, generally tapering toward the tail, and their wings are 

 rather narrow in proportion to the length, but are exceedingly 

 powerful, and the flight is, with one or two exceptions, very rapid. 

 The antenme terminate in a small and thin hook. 



Most of these insects fly at dusk, but a few delight in the bright- 

 ness and heat of the midday sun. In either case the velocity of 

 their flight is generally so great that it is a diflicult matter to 

 follow them with the eye, and a still more difficult matter to secure 

 the insects in the net ; consequently, the best way to study them is 

 to search out the larvae on their food plants, and rear them till they 

 attain their perfect form. 



The larva' of the Spliiiigidic are large and smooth, and most of 

 them have a liorn jtrojecting from the top of the last segment but 

 one. They all undergo their metamorphoses under the surface of 

 the ground. 



The Death's-Hcad Hawlx (Achcroutia Ati'opos) 



Our first example of the Sphinges is the beautiful Death's-Head 

 Hawk Moth — an insect that often attains a breadth of five inches 

 from tip to tip when the wings are fully expanded. Its popular 

 title has been applied on account of the peci;liar markings of the 

 thorax, which are said to resemble a human skull ; and this feature 

 has certainly some connection with the superstitious beliefs of 

 ignorant covmtry folk concerning this moth. But this character- 

 istic is probably not the only one that has caused the creature to 

 be regarded with superstitious alarm. Both its superior dimensions 

 and nocturnal habits serve to intensify the unfounded fear ; but, 

 what is particularly striking and unique about it is its power of 

 uttering a squeaking sound, which it does when disturbed. Even 

 the earlier stages of the insect possess this strange power. The 

 caterpillar makes a peculiar snapping noise \\heu irritated, and the 



