48 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



rare in these islands. The species is an inhabitant of Africa, and 

 its normal range extends along both sides of the Mediterranean 

 through Asia Minor and Syria to India. In Europe, north of 

 the Alps, the moth is seldom observed, and it is probably almost 

 as scarce on most of the Continent as it is with us. 



The Small Elephant [Metopsilus {Chcerocampa) porcellus). 



The fore wings of this hawk-moth are ochreous with a faint 

 olive tinge ; the front margin is edged and blotched with 

 pinkish, and there is a broad but irregular band of the same 

 colour on the outer margin. Hind wings blackish on upper 

 margin, pinkish on outer margin, and ochreous tinged with 

 olive between ; fringes chequered whitish, sometimes tinged with 

 pink. Head, thorax, and body pinkish, more or less variegated 

 with olive ; the thorax has a patch of white hairs above the 

 base of the wings (Plate 19, Figs. 3, 4). 



In most specimens there are at least traces of two cross-lines 

 in the fore wings, the space between these is sometimes brownish 

 olive ; the outer border of the hind wings varies in tint, and 

 may be purplish. Occasionally the ground colour of the fore 

 wings is greenish olive. 



A hybrid, resulting from a pairing between Chcrrocampa 

 elpenor and Metopsilus poi'cellus has bet^n named elpc7i07'cellus 

 (Staud). 



The egg is a rich full green and rather glossy ; it is laid in 

 June on yellow bedstraw and other kinds of Galium. 



A full-grown caterpillar will measure quite two inches in 

 length, and in general appearance is not unlike that of the 

 next s[:ecies. It is, however, greyish brown in colour, merging 

 into yellowish brown on the front rings. The head is greyer 

 than the body ; the usual Sphingid horn is absent, and in its 

 place there is a double wart. When quite young the caterpillar 



