180 JOHN B. SMITH. 



Mr. Edwards says this beautiful species closely resembles Sphinx 

 eremitus Walk., of the Atlantic States, but is readily known by its 

 more brilliant gray coloring, by the very sharply defined demi- 

 baJids and by the strongly marked, whitish submarginal band of the 

 fore wings. The distinctive characters of this species have been 

 already sufficiently discussed. I have not had specimens for dissec- 

 tion unfortunately. The early stages are unknown. 



S. gordiiis Cram., Ex. iii, 91, pi. 247, fig. B, Sphinx; Hiib., Verz. 141, Lethia ; 

 Harr.,* Sill. Joaru. 36, 295, Sphinx; Wlk., C. B. M. Lep. Het. viii, 218, 

 Sphinx ; Clem.,* Journ. Ac. N. Sci. Phil, iv, 1859, 173, Sphinx ; Morris,* Syu. 

 Lep. 1862, 198, Sphinx ; Harris,* Inj. Ins. Flint ed. 328, Sphinx; Grt., Bufl'. 

 Bull, i, 26, Lethia; Bd., Sp. Gen. Het. i, i)l, Sphinx ; Biitl., Tr. Zool. Soc. 

 Lond. ix, 618, Sphinx ; Sauud.,* Fruit Insects 86, fig. 85, Sphinx; Fernuld,* 

 Sphins. N. E. 44, pi. 1, fig. 1, S^ihinx ; Grt., Hawk Moths 45, Sphinx. 



poecila Steph., III. Brit. Ent. Haust. , 123, Sphinx ; Wood, lud. Eut. 246, ]il. 

 53, fig. 26, Sphinx; G. & R., Pr. E. S. Phil, v, 165, pr. syn. 



Front of head, palpi and thorax laterally, gray. Palpi at sides, vertex of head 

 and disc of thorax blackish brown, with black metathoracic tufts, between which 

 there are some gray hairs intermixed with the brown ground. Abdomen ashy 

 gray, above with a dorsal black line and a broad black lateral band cut with 

 white on the first four or five segments, forming thus a series of alternate black 

 and white demi-bands. Beneath, thorax and abdomen gray. Primaries gray, 

 more or less clouded with brown. The discal spot is small, white, triangular, 

 and from it two fine black lines extend in along the cell, uniting at a variable 

 distance from the end of cell. The median vein and veins 2, 3. 4, 5 and 6, are 

 marked with black, and there are black dashes between all the veins below the 

 apex, the last forming the oblique apical streak. An indistinct ashy gray shade 

 crosses the wings at basal fourth ; another still more distinct from the costa a 

 little beyond the middle, ends at the middle of the hind margin, and a third, 

 equally indefinite, crossing a little beyond and parallel to the last is somewhat 

 toothed on the veins. Outside of this, nearly parallel with the outer margin, is 

 a distinct white shade, not reaching the apex, through which runs a variably 

 distinct blackish brown line. A brown spot on costa before apex leaving a white 

 shade above the apical black streak. Fringes brown, cut with white. Second- 

 aries sordid white, with a rather indefinite central band and a broad blackish 

 outer margin. Fringes white, narrowly cut with black. Beneath, the primaries 

 are brownish gray, the fringes as above; the secondaries are gray, with a narrow 

 central and broad terminal band of dark brownish gray. Expands 3—3.60 in. ; 

 75 — 90 mm. 



Hub. — Canada to Georgia ; westward to the Mississippi. 



Probably this species ranges further West, but I liave no definite 

 information that it does so. 



The supra-anal plate and attached claws offer nothing that is un- 

 like the general structure in the genus. The side [)iece is oblong, 

 the tij) oblique. The clasper is very stout and large, corneous, broad, 



