THE CLEAR-WINGS. 427 



thorax. The abdomen is yellow, with a broad dark-T)rown 

 band near the middle, and a very narrow band of a similar 

 colour nearer the base. The legs are orange -yellow. In fact, 

 the colouring of this Moth is almost identical with that of the 

 hornet, the peculiar rich, warm brown of the markings and the 

 yellow of the ground colour being almost exactly identical 

 in both insects. 



The caterpillar of this Moth burrows into the wood of the 

 poplar and aspen, and in its tunnel undergoes all its changes. 

 When the larva is full-fed, it spins for itself a rather tough 

 cocoon, made of small fragments of wood bound together with 

 silk, and the Moth emerges about midsummer. The larva of 

 this species passes two years in the tree before it changes to 

 the pupal state. 



To this genus, which contains thirteen British species, belong 

 the lesser Clear-wing Moths, which derive their names from the 

 singular resemblance wliich they bear to various flies and 

 Hymenoptera. They all have slender bodies, tipped with a 

 spreading brush of hair, and their wings are transparent, with 

 a black edge, black nervures to the lower wings, and the upper 

 wings edged and mostly barred with black, brown, or orange. 



The commonest of them is the Currant Clear-wing (Sesia 

 tipuliformis), which may be found in the summer-time resting 

 on the leaves of the currant. It bears a remarkable resem- 

 blance to a gnat, whence the name ti'puUforinis^ i.e. formed 

 like a gnat. There are two longitudinal yellow streaks on the 

 thorax, and three bars of the same hue across the body. 



The larva of this Moth lives inside the twigs and young 

 branches of the currant, from which it bores out the pith, and 

 often kills the branch. Indeed, whenever a bough of the 

 currant begins to wither away without any perceptible cause, a 

 larva of this Moth may generally be found within it. 



One of these curious Moths takes its name from the ant, 

 another from the chrysis or fire-tail, another from the gall-fly, 

 and so on. None, however, afford such a perfect example of 

 imitation as does the Hornet Clear-wing of the poplar, which 

 would even deceive an entomologist unless examined closely. 



The family of the Zeuzeridse is remarkable for the fact that 

 the females are furnished with a long and hard ovipositor, 



