﻿132 Journal New York Ent. Soc. [Voi. iii. 



NOTE ON THE SMERINTHIN^. 

 By A. Radcliffe Grote, A. M. 



Having recently enjoyed the opportunity of studying the three or 

 four common European species usually referred to Smerinthus, I find 

 they belong to distinct genera. C. ocellatus has a blunt spine at ex- 

 tremity of fore tibiae, and in cut of wing agrees Avell with Copisme- 

 rinthus ophthalmicus, as pointed out by me twenty years ago. I would 

 therefore refer C. ocellatus, C. cerisii and C. ophthalmicus to Copi- 

 smerinthus Grote, i8S6. I have formerly assumed that ocellatus was 

 the type of Latreille's genus, but incorrectly so ; since Latreille con- 

 siders populi the type. Thus Amorpha Hiibn. Tent., proposed for 

 populi alone, is a synonym of Smerinthus. To Eusmerinthus Grt., 

 1886, belongs E. gemitiatus as type, which has the fore tibiae unarmed. 

 Eaonias Hiibn., 181 8, I have restricted originally to our F. excacatus, 

 and it is now generally used for this type. The genus as it stands in 

 the Verzeichniss is a mixed genus, but it seems to have been entirely 

 neglected by Europeon writers until I restricted its use to P. exccecatjis. 

 Our eyed Smerinthi remaining belong to Calasymbolus Grote, with 

 astylus as type. Butler's extension of my generic term cannot be fol- 

 lowed. 



For tilice, the term Mimas, Hiibn. Verz. must be kept, since this 

 is the sole species and therefore type. To this genus the European 

 Polyptychus quercus is allied in the shape of the wings, There is a 

 sulcation on primaries opposite the cell and the secondaries have a 

 shallow excavation from vein 4 to anal angle. In Smerinthus populi, 

 Polyptychus qiiercus and Mimas tilicz, the fore tibiae are unarmed. 

 The differences in the structure of the frenulum is described by Mr. 

 Griffiths in Entom. Record for June, 1895. In America we have no 

 species strictly congeneric with either of these three ; the nearest ally to 

 Smerinthus populi is Triptogon modesta. Our N. Am. Cressonia jug- 

 landis is distinctly an American type of the group. The relationship 

 between Mimas and Polyptychus is further evidenced by the deflexion 

 of the antennae at tips, more prominent in M. tilice. I would arrange 

 these forms as follows ; I have not attempted a full synonymy. 



Copismerinthus Grote, 1886. 



Type : C. CERISII. 



1. ocellatus Linn. Europe. 



salicis HiJBN, 



2. cerisii Kirby. Canada ; Northern New England. 



3. ophthalmicus Boisd. Vancouver ; Northern California. 



