THE SILVER- STRIPED HAWK. 43 



According to Hellins the eggs are light green in colour, and 

 the caterpillars hatch out in about three weeks. When it first 

 emerges from the egg-shell the caterpillar is dirty white without 

 spots, and the head and horn are black. The adult is dark 

 green or black dotted with yellow ; three yellow lines on the 

 back and two rows of black-ringed yellow spots, with some 

 black spots above them ; each yellow spot is tinged with pink 

 on the upper portion. Head black, marked with yellow ; horn 

 reddish, with the tip black. Sometimes the rings of the body 

 are banded. 



It feeds in June and July on vine, fuchsia, dock, and probably 

 other plants. It may be noted that the foliage of house vines 

 are stated to be unsuitable food. The blossoms of numerous 

 plants are visited by the moths in the evening, among which 

 are delphinium, petunia^ honeysuckle, tobacco, rhododendron, 

 valerian, and silene. 



In the daytime it has been found resting on walls, windows, 

 and also the curtains ; on grass turf, railway metals, fences, and 

 on plants and shrubs. 



The distribution of this species is somewhat similar to that 

 of the Silver-striped Hawk-moth, but it extends into Western 

 China and is represented in North America. 



The Silver-striped Hawk {HippoHon (C/iarocampa) 



cekrio). 



Referring to this species in 1828 Stephens wrote : "The first 

 recorded specimen of the perfect insect was taken flying in 

 Bunhill-fields burying-ground so long ago as 1779: and the 

 specimen now exists in a high state of preservation in Mr. 

 ?Iaworth's collection, having been purchased by him at the 

 dispersion of that of Mr. Francillon. Subsequently to the 

 above capture the larva:} have been found several times in 

 Cambridgeshire. . . . Two or three were also taken about fifteen 



