SPHINGID^. 27 



tiese years was the larva found in any numbers, indeed it is 

 doubtful whether there are records of the finding of twenty 

 larvae, in all, in these islands ; so that, althoug-h'no doubt exists 

 that a few undergo their transformations here, there can be 

 no question that the vast majority arrive here from abroad, a 

 conclusion which is greatly supported by the fact that the 

 appearance of the species, in numbers, in this country, is 

 immediately preceded — as in 1887 — by that of multitudes in 

 the neighbouring countries of the continent of Europe. To 

 give localities seems therefore useless, especially as it appears 

 to have occurred in all parts of England, Wales, Scotland 

 and Ireland. It is widely distributed and plentiful through- 

 out Europe, Asia, and Africa, except in the extreme north, 

 though in South Africa it attains to but about two-thirds of 

 its size with us, while in Tahiti Lieutenant J. J. Walker found 

 it of only three inches in expanse of wings. As far as its 

 powers are concerned there is no reason why it should not be 

 found in any part of the habitable globe. 



2. S. Pinastri. L. — Expanse 3 to 3i inches. Pale 

 brownish grey, with three black streaks on the middle of the 

 fore wings ; hind wings, and body, grey. 



Antenna rather slender, white abovej brownish beneath ; 

 in the male with short brownish pectinations. Head and 

 thorax grey or brownish grey, with the tips of the abundant 

 scales hoaiy, giving a powdered appearance, except in a broad 

 stripe from the head along each side of the upper part of 

 the thorax, which is blackish brown. Abdomen grey or 

 brownish grey, with a black line down the middle of the 

 back, and bars of dark brown and whitish on the sides. 

 Fore wings with the costa hardly curved except near the 

 pointed apex, hind margin rounded and very oblique ; dorsal 

 margin very gently curved. Hind wings short, rounded, 

 except a slight hollow in the hind margin before the anal 

 angle. Fore wings grey or grey brown, much dusted with 



