SPHINGES 211 



the Humming-bird Hawk, so called on account of its exceedin,i,'ly 

 rapid hunnxiing-bird-like tiight, accompanied by a soft liuunning 

 sound. 



This insect is very common ; and, being very ptartial to the attrac- 

 tions ot!ered by many of our favourite garden liowers, it ought to 

 be well known to all observers of nature. 



Take your stand near a bed of petunias or verbenas, or close to 

 a honeysuckle in bloom, on any hot summer's da\', and you are 

 almost sure to be rewarded by a peep at the wonderful flight and 

 interesting ways of this moth. It makes its appearance so suddenly 

 that you first view it as an apparently motionless insect, suspended 

 in the air, and thrusting its long proboscis into the tube of an attrac- 

 tive flower. Its wings ^•ibrate so rapidly that they are quite 

 invisible, and gi\e rise to the soft hum already mentioned. Then 

 it darts from one flower to another, making a similar brief stay 

 before each while it sucks the grateful sweets. Raise your hand as 

 if to strike, and suddenly it vanishes you know not where. But it 

 is as bold as it is wary, and will often return to the selfsame tlower 

 as if to defy your power. A sharp sweep of your net in a horizontal 

 direction, or a sudden downward stroke, inai/ secure it; but if you 

 miss it, as you probably will, it will disappear like a phantom, and 

 give you no opportunity of making a second attempt. 



This moth is on the wing throughout the hottest months of the 

 year— May to September, and will often greet j'ou as you roam over 

 flowery banks in search of buttertiies. 



The caterpillar feeds on the lady's bedstraw (Galium veruin), 

 hedge bedstraw [G. Mollugo), and the goose grass {G. Aparine), 

 and may be searched for in August and September. It is rough, 

 green or brownish, and dotted with white. Along each side are t\\o 

 light lines. The horn is thin and short, rough, and points upwards. 



Tlw Bruad-burdcred Bee Hawk (Macrofjlossa Fuci/nrniit:) 



The two other moths of this genus are called Bee Hawks from 

 their resemblance to the humble bee. They are very much alike, 

 but may be distinguished by a difference in the width of the dark 

 border of the wings ; and are named Broad-bordered and Narrow- 

 bordered respectively. 



The former is illustrated in the woodcut appended. The fore 

 wings are transparent like those of bees, with a dark central spot 

 and a broad reddish-brown hind margin. The biise and costa are 



p2 



