:i6' 



482. 



SMERINTHUS OCELLATUS. 



The eyed Hawk -moth. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Sphingidae. 



Type of the Genus, Sphinx ocellata Linn. 



Smerinthus Lat., Goda., Curt. — Laothoe Fab. — Spectrum Scop. — 

 Amorpha Hilb. — Sphinx Linn., &c. 



Antenna inserted at the back part of the head, above the eyes, 

 somewhat prismatic and taperirig both to the base and aj^ex 

 which is hooked ; slender and simply covered with scales in the 

 female, considerably stouter and beautifully pubescent in the 

 male, each joint producing a fasciculus or brush of hairs on two 

 sides (1, a, a portion of the middle, b the apex). 

 Mandibles horny and ciliated. 



Maxill(B small, slender and not longer than the palpi, formed of 

 2 strap-shaped filaments, lanceolate at the apex (3). 

 Labial Palpi short, meeting at the apex, curved nearly vertically, 

 densely clothed with hairy scales, triarticulate, basal joint sub- 

 clavate, 2nd long and very stout, attenuated to the apex, 3rd 

 small subconic, spiny or bristly at the apex (4 and 4 a) . 

 Head small, short and obtuse : eyes not large (7, the head in profile). 

 Thorax robust atid globose. Abdomen short, stout and conical. 

 Wings nearly horizontal and forming a triangle in repose, the in- 

 ferior projecting beyond the upper margin of the superior, ivhich are 

 acute at the apex, as well as at the posterior angle, lohich is produced 

 and the margin slightly sinuated or dentated : inferior wings small, 

 subovate and sometimes dentated. Legs robust : tibiae, anterior short 

 and densely clothed ivith scales, the others clavate and spurred at the 

 apex: tarsi 5-jointed, basal joint long : claws small, strong, curved 

 and acute : pulvilli distinct. 

 Larvae with Q pectoral, 8 abdominal and 2 anal feet ; the head is cordate 



or conical, and the tail short and stiff. 

 Pupae buried in the earth. 



OcELLATUS Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 788. 1. — Salicis Hub. 

 In the Author s and other Cabinets. 



The Caterpillars of these fine Sphingidae considerably resem- 

 ble those of Sphinx and Acherontia, but they are hard and 

 shagreened, and the head is more or less triangular. The short 

 proboscis of the perfect insect will distinguish it from the rest 

 ol the family, excepting Acherontia (in which it is very horny) 

 and Trochilium, with which it cannot be confounded. The 

 Smerinthi are seldom seen on the wing, but I have once or 

 twice caught them flying in the evening ; they are sluggish, and 

 fly more like the Bombycida? than the Sphingidae : I believe 

 they are short lived, and probably, from the form of their 

 maxillag, do not suck the juices of llowers like their congeners. 



