—82 — 



for they are entirely out of place there and the "INIanducae''' and "Eu- 

 morphae" are certainly closely enough related. 



The Sphingidae are distinguished by their usually large size, plump 

 robust bodies, usually long, conic and cylindrical abdomen and prismatic 

 antennae. The venation has been figured in Vol. VII of the "Bulletin" 

 and the distinctive feature in that respect was found to be a distinct cross 

 vein, connecting the costal and subcostal of the secondaries, near base. 

 The wings of the typical Sphinges are usually rather narrow, long and 

 stiff, capable of great resistance to the air, as well as of rapid motion; 

 and the habits of the insects, or at least a large part of them, hovering 

 over a flower while feeding, requires such a structure. Usually they fly in 

 the early evening, though many, among them the MacroglosscB fly in the 

 hottest sunshine, and are often mistaken for humming birds. The Smer- 

 inthides on the contrary, incapable of feeding, are rarely taken, though 

 somedmes attracted to light. 



The larvae are usually furnished with a distinct caudal horn, or an 

 eye like spot denoting its usual position, though some species lack all 

 trace of it. It is the habit of the larva also to rest with the thoracic seg- 

 ments raised, and somewhat curled, and this, giving them a fancied 

 resemblance to the Sphinx, is said to have prompted the name. 



Among our forms two distinct groups may be distinguished. The 

 Sphinges, with long corneous tongue, prominent head, and rarely serrate 

 antennae, and the SmerinthiJes with short weak membraneous tongue, re- 

 tracted head, usually serrate or pectinated antennae in the i^, and general- 

 ly angulated dentate or crenulate outer margin of forewings. 



The true Sphinges, or those with long corneous tongue divide readi- 

 ly into two distinct series on the shape and proportion of the antennae. 



In the Macroglossoe they are distinctly clavate toward the tip (which 

 is furnished with a small bent hook) and usually fully one half the length 

 of the primaries. In the others the antennae are either tolerably equal 

 throughout or they are thickest in the middle, tapering to each end. 



Most, if not all the Macroglossoe are diurnal in their habits, flying 

 about flowers in the hottest sunshine. 



Macroglossa {Hetnaris) contains those of our species with more or 

 less transparent wings, and unarmed tibice. 



Pogocolon {Plerogon) has opaque wings of much the same form as 

 Macroglossa but has spinose tibiae, the anterior armed with a series of 

 long corneous claws at outer side and tip. I cannot separate Lepisesia 

 from Pogocolon, and Euproserpinus also seems congeneric. These genera, 

 each containing a single species, have a somewhat different habitus from 

 that of the more typical Pogocolon, and serve to show the close relation- 

 ship of that genus to Macroglossa. 



