SPHINGIDJE. — SMERINTHUS. 1 1 \ 



usually of sombre tints, are nevertheless exceedingly gay in several 

 of the si)ecies. They fly with great rapidity (whence they liave 

 obtained the name of Hawk-moths) towards sunset, and early in the 

 morning, when they may be observed hovering over flowers, without 

 settling uj»oii them, and extracting their nectareous juices by means 

 of their long si)iral tongue. Their larvse are very conspicuous, and 

 generally while at rest they assume the attitude of the Spjiinx, 

 whence their name : they mostly change into a pupa bene;ith the 

 ground, and it is not unusual for several of one brood to remain 

 two, three, or more seasons, Itefore they eff'ect their final mctiimor- 

 phosis— a wise provision of nature to prevent their destruction, 

 which the great size and conspicuity of the larvse tend to promote : 

 in ordinary cases, however, the larvse retire under-ground, or form 

 a loose coccoon among dead leaves on the surface, in the autumn, 

 and undergo their change, and the imago is produced in the begin- 

 ning of summer; the enormous larvse of Acherontia Atrojios forming 

 an exception, as they generally change to pupse in August, and the 

 insect bursts forth in the following October : and in fine seasons 

 other species will have two broods, as hereafter mentioned. 



The indigenous genera may be thus distinguished : 



f plus minusve angulatEe: 23. Smerinthus. 



Alec < f breves: . ...» 24. Acherontia. 



(integrae, acutae; AIaa;iUa: < tlongeitx ; An- (^haud clavatae: 25. Sphinx. 

 { tennce: . < 



(clavatae: . 2G. Deilephila. 



Genus XXIII. — Smerinthus, Latreille. 



Antenna: gradually incrassated, serrated, especially in the males, somewhat 

 prismatic ; the apex generally incurved and attenuated : patfri contiguous : 

 viaxUhe very short : head small : anterior wings more or less angulated or 

 dentated. Larva very much granulated, head conical, last segment with a 

 conical recurved horn : pupa slightly rugose, acute, and pointed at the apex, 

 subterranean. 



The genus Smerinthus differs from the rest of this family by the 

 amazing brevity of the maxillae, and by the angulated or notched 

 wings ; unlike the other Sphingidse, they settle upon flowers, and 

 take their food in that position, owing to the shortness of f heir {pro- 

 boscis; they exist but a very short period, and scarcely fly; their 

 flight is very awkward, and they are very dull and heavy insects. 

 Their larvae subsist upon the leaves of trees, not upon low herl>age, 

 and during repose the posterior wings are generally produced 



