MACROGLOSSA. 



THE IIU.MMING-BIRD HAWK-MOTH. MACROGLOSSA 

 STRLLATARUM. 



[Plate X CIV. , Fig.T,; larva, Fig. ^.) 



Sphinx stellaianim, Linnoeus, Syst Nat., i., p, 495, no. 26 

 (1758); id. Faun. Suec, p. 288 (1761) ; Esper, Schmctt., 

 ii., p. 114, Taf. 13, figs. 1-3 (1779); i^^- Forts., p. 204, 

 Taf. 28, fig. 3 (17S2), p. 232, taf. 36, figs. 5, 6 (1783?); 

 Hiibner, Eur. Schmett., ii., figs. 57, 155 (1803?);- 

 Ochsenheimer, Schmett. Eur., ii., p. 191 (180S). 



Macroglossa stellatarum, Stephens, Til. Brit. Ent. Haust., ii., 

 p. 133 (1828); Curtis, Brit. Ent., xvi., pi. 747 (1840); 

 Kirby, Eur. Butterflies and Moths, p. 74, pi. 20, figs, i, a-c 

 (1879); Buckler, Larvae of Brit. Eepid., ii., p. 118, 

 pi. 26, fig. 2 (18S7); Barrett, Lepid. Brit. Isl., ii., p. 66, 

 pi. 54, figs. I, la-ic (1893). 



This is the type of the genus. It expands nearly two inches. 

 The body is dark grey, lighter below, with black and white 

 spots on the sides of the abdomen. The wings are thickly 

 scaled, entire, the fore-wings dark greyish-brown, with black 

 waved transverse lines, and a small black central dot; the 

 hind-wings are rusty yellow, with the base blackish, and the 

 hind margin dark brown. The intensity of the colour of the 

 hind-wings is subject to variation. 



The larva is green with wliite dots, and has a rough skin. 

 There is a white sub-dorsal and a yellowish- white lateral line. 

 The horn, which is short and nearly straight, is dull blue with 

 a yellowish tip. It feeds on bedstraw {Galium mollui^o). 



" It sometimes enters the earth when about to be trans- 

 formed, and at other times constructs a cover on the surface, 

 composed of particles of earth, pieces of leaves, or portions of 

 tlie stems of plants." {Dunan.) 



