78 LEPIDOPTERA. 



The first family, the Sphingina, or Sphinx moths, derives 

 its name from a fanciful resemblance of some of the 

 larvae to the famed sphinx of Egypt ; the term Hawk- 

 moths, by which they are also called, refers to the 

 hawk-like swiftness of their flight. The Sphingina are 

 at once to be known by the form of the antennae, which 

 are thickest in the middle ; in the other groups these 

 organs are the thickest at the base, gradually tapering 

 towards the tip. Most of these moths fly by night, or 

 in the dusk of the evenings ; the beautiful and bold 

 Humming-bird Moth {Macroglossa stellataritm), how- 

 ever, flies by day and delights in the hot sunshine. 

 These moths are of a large size, and are conspicuous for 

 the beauty of their colouring ; the larv« also of some 

 of the species are prettily marked, being of a bright 

 apple-green colour, with handsome lilac stripes. The 

 curious Death's-head Moth {Acherontia atropos) belongs 

 to this group. Other species are the Spurge Hawk- 

 moth {DeilepMla Euphorbice), very rare in this country, 

 but occasionally abundant on the Continent, near the 

 coast ; the Eyed Hawk-moth {Smei-inthus ocellatus), 

 the Poplar Hawk-moth {S. popull), the Lime Hawk (S. 

 tilice), all of which are heavy fliers, unlike the Swift 

 hawks of all the other species ; then there is the com- 

 mon Privet Hawk {Sp)hinx Ugiistri), the Elephant Hawk 

 {Ghwrocampa Eljpenor), so called from the resemblance 

 more or less fanciful of the head of the larva to the 

 trunk of the elephant. It is an ugly creature, and has 

 two eye-like spots on the fifth and sixth segments, which 

 at first sight might be supposed to be really eyes. Some 

 of the Hawks have very long tongues, even longer than 

 their bodies, by means of which they can reach the 



