LAOTIIOE. 55 



conspicuous blackish patch. The hind-wings arc regularly, 

 but less strongly, denticulated, with a large shallow concavity 

 in the lower half of the hind margin. The antennas of the 

 male are slightly pectinated. 



There is a considerable number of African and East 

 Indian moths belonging to the genera Polyptychus (Hiibner), 

 Marumha (Moore), &c., which much resemble Laolhoe quercus 

 in appearance. They have usually a cons})icuous dark mark 

 towards the extremity of the inner margin of the hind-wings ; 

 but the wings are evenly denticulated, and want the deep 

 concavities which are so conspicuous in Laothoc. 



THE OAK HAWK-RIOTPI. LAOTHOE QUERCUS. 

 {riate CIX., fig. I.) 



Sphinx quercus, Denis & Schiffermiil'.er, Syst. Verz. Schmett. 



AVien. p. 42, no. 2 ; p. 244, Taf. i a, figs, i a, b ; pi. i b, 



fig. I (1776); Esper, Schmett., ii., p. 164, Taf. 19 (1779); 



Forts., p. 97, Taf. 26, fig. i (1782); Iliibner, Eur. 



Schmett., ii., figs. 71, 118 (1797?); Ochsenheimcr, 



Schmett. Eur., ii., p. 255 (180S); (k^dart, Lepid. France, 



iii., p. 181, pi. 17, fig. 3 (1822). 

 SnicrintJius quercus, Boisduval, Spec. Gen. Eepid. Hetcr., i., 



p. 18 (1875); Kirby, Eur. liutterflies and Moths, p. 73, 



pi. 19, fig. 2 (1879). 

 Laofhoe quercus, Kirl)y, Cat. Eei)id. FTetcr., i., p. 709 (1S92). 



This is a rather scarce species, found only in South-eastern 

 Europe and Western Asia. It exj^ands about three inches and 

 a half. 



T\\Q head, thorax, and abdomen are light ochre-yellow in 

 the male, and darker in the female. The fore-wings, which 

 are dentated, are pale ochreous or greyish - yellow, witli 

 several darker transverse lines, the inner side of the second 



