A<^ 



626. 



DAPHNIS NERII. 



The Rose-bay Sphinx. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Sphingidae. 



Type of the Genus, Sphinx Nerii Linn. 

 Daphnis Hiib., Curt. — Sphinx Linn, &;c. 



Antenna: inserted towards the base of the head and close to the 

 eyes, shghtly attenuated at the base and apex, which latter is 

 hooked, being terminated by a slender setaceous joint somewhat 

 pectinated with scales, rather stout in the male, and transversely 

 striated and fringed with hairs {\ ^ , portions of the underside 

 and apex) : slender and simply clothed with scales externally 

 in the female. 



MaxillcB not more than half the length of the animal but very 

 spiral (3). 



Labial Palpi curved upward, pressed close to the head and a little 



keeled (4), densely clothed with scales, rather long slender and 



triarticulate, basal joint curved and clavate, 2nd as long, more 



elliptical, 3rd very small and nearly globose (4 a). 



Head trigonate : eyes very large, hemispherical and prominent : ocelli 



none. Thorax not broader than the Abdomen which is conical. 



Wings dejlexed in repose, superior lanceolate, the posterior angle 



obtuse : inferior small, ovate, the apex a little pointed, the anal angle 



slightly lobed. Legs very strong : thighs short : tibiae densely 



clothed with scales, anterior with a large internal spine, intermediate 



with 2 strong unequal spurs, horny and acute at the apex ; in the 



hinder there is a pair also a little above the apex, one spur in each 



being very long (8 f) •" tarsi 5-jointed, spined beneath, hinder pair 



longer than the antenna, basal joint exceedingly long: claws and pul- 



villi small. 



Larvae with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal and 2 anal feet, the tail short 



and incurved. 



Nerii Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 785*^. 



Green, more or less tinged with olive, and marbled with pink, 

 ochre and brown ; antennae yellow-white above ; sides of the 

 thorax, base of the abdomen, back of the terminal, and sides of 

 the penultimate segments, brown : superior wings with the 

 base green, having an ochreous spot close to the thorax bearing 

 a green dot ; a rosy space crosses the middle obliquely, va- 

 riegated with several dark green stripes, with the apex and 

 posterior angle of the same colour : inferior wings blackish at 

 the base, pale next the body, bounded by a curved black stripe, 

 and a pale transverse waved line, with a broader dark green 

 stripe on the external margin. 



In the Cabinets of Mr. Dale and Mr. Priaulx. 



The appearance of several hundreds of this beautiful cater- 

 pillar in France in 1835, caused quite a sensation amongst the 

 naturalists of that country. These larvae were found from the 



