66 JOHN B. SMITH. 



The term Sesiida' is here used for tlie genera Macroghssa and Sesia, 

 the hitter term being used in a manner synonymous Avith Hemaris 

 Dalm., which is not mentioned. 



The JEgeriidce are synonymous witli the Sesiidce of Continental 



authors, and two genera are recognized : 



Masillffi short; antennse abbreviated TrocliJliuiii. 



Maxillfe lon^ : aiitennge longer ^Egeria. 



Stephens' example in this misuse of the term tSesia, or rather his 

 failure to recognize the restriction of the term by previous authors, 

 has been followed by British entomologists to the present day, and 

 American entomologists have, until i-ecently, followed in their wake. 



In the thirty-sixth volume of the " American Journal of Science 

 and Art," (Silliman's journal) 1839, Dr. T. W. Harris gives the first 

 review of the American species of the Linnaean genus Sphinx in its 

 widest sense, recognizing the families now generally adopted, and in- 

 cluding the species loosely classed ns Zygcenidce. He begins his paper 

 with a definition of the group, and of the habits of the larvse and 

 imagos, then follows a " Synopsis of Families and Genera." He 

 divides the Sphinges into two tribes, according to the Linnaean sys- 

 tem, and as follows : 



Tribe I. — Sphinges legitime. 

 Larvte colored, for the most part horned on the tail, and feeding 

 on the leaves of 'plants ; or whitish, slightly hairy, not horned, and 

 living on woody material within the stems of plants. Antennse of 

 the winged insects tipi)ed with a minute bristly tuft [Note. — Obsolete 

 or wanting in the Smerlnthini']. Palpi (except in the jEgerildce) with 

 the third joint minute and indistinct. 



Tribe II. — Sphinges adscitje. 



Larv« always colored, more or less hairy, never horned, feeding 

 on leaves and transforming in a silken cocoon, which is fastened to 

 the plants on which they live. Antennae of the winged insects not 

 tufted at the end. Palpi distinctly three-jointed. 



The Sphinges legitimce he divides into three families : Sphingidce, 

 Macroglossidce and JEgeriidce. 



The Sphingidw he limits as follows: 



" Antennte fusiform and prismatic, ending in a hook, and in the 

 males transversely biciliated beneath, or more rai-ely curved, and in 

 the females bipectinated beneath. Palpi pressed close to the face. 



