A6 



747. 

 MACROGLOSSA STELLATARUM. 



The Humming-bird Sphinx. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Sphingidse. 



Type of the Genus, Sphinx Stellatarum, Linn. 



Macroglossa Och., Curt. — Macroglossum Scop. — Sphinx Linn. 

 Haw., Huh., Goda. 



Antenna inserted on each side of the head between the eyes, 

 scarcely longer than the thorax, scaly above, clavate, very slender 

 at the base, and thickest tovv^ards the apex, which is hooked, 

 scaly and terminated by a few hairs (1) : stouter and ciliated 

 beneath in the male. 

 MaxillcE very long, spiral and slender. 



Labial palpi forming a conical beak, densely clothed with scales 

 outside (4), meeting above the maxillae, stout and triarticulate 

 (a), basal joint elongated and curved, 2nd longer, ovate and very 

 much inflated, 3rd small slender and elongate-ovate. 

 Head broad, rather long and conical : eyes not prominent, small lateral 

 and orbicular. Thorax large and oval. Abdomen very broad, de- 

 pressed-convex, the segments beyond the middle tufted on the sides, 

 the apex with a broad spreading tuft of long scales in both sexes ; 

 concave beneath. Wings forming a triangle in repose ; superior 

 moderate, sublanceolate, the apex pointed, interior angle slightly fal- 

 cated : inferior wings stnall trigonate-ovate : cilia very short. Legs 

 moderate : thighs rather short : tibiae, anterior short with a strong 

 internal spine, intermediate with a pair of acute spurs at the apex ; 

 hinder not longer, compressed, dilated, ciliated outside, with 2 pairs 

 of acute spurs, one spine long, the other very short : tarsi long, espe- 

 cially the hinder , spiny beneath, 5-jointed, basal joint the longest, 5th 

 the smallest : claws small. 

 Larvae ?iaked, with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal, and 2 anal feet, and a 

 caudal horn. Pupse inclosed in a cocoon on the ground. 



Stellatarum Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 784, 1. 



Olive-brown or mouse colour ; head and thorax of a greener 

 tinge, palpi and anterior coxae white : superior wings clouded, 

 with a black waved striga before, and a double crenated one, 

 black only towards the costa, beyond the middle, with a dot 

 between them ; towards the posterior margin are 2 other faint 

 crenated strigae, inferior wings deep bright orange, brownish at 

 the base, posterior margin softened into bright rust-colour, va- 

 nishing at the anal angle : cilia brownish : abdomen black be- 

 yond the middle, 3rd segment with a large yellowish spot ex- 

 tending on to the 4th which has a bundle of pure Avhite scales 

 on each side, 5th and 6th with the tips only of the fascicles yel- 

 lowish white. 



In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



