THE HAWK-MOTHS OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK 



CITY. 



By Wji.liam BeutenmCller, 

 Curator of the Department of Entomology. 



Fa m i 1 y Sph ii i(^idcc. 



The members of the family of Sj)hingidae are commonly 

 called " Hawk-lMoths" on account of their powerful and rapid 

 flight and their beak-like proboscis. Some of the species are also 

 called Humniini^l)ir(i Moths, owing to their peculiar habit of 

 hovering like a hummingbird over flowers while drawing up 

 nectar with their long proboscis. Some species fly during mid- 

 day in the hot sunshine, while others fly late in the afternoon 

 and at night. 



The moths have long, narrow fore wings, with an oblique, 

 excavated or scolloped outer margin. The hind wings are much 

 shorter, with the outer margin entire, the anal angle usually pro- 

 duced and the apex rounded or pointed. 



The head is usually clothed with smooth scales, or has a tuft 

 between the antennae. The eyes are hemispherical, and as a 

 rule lashed with hairs in front above. The proboscis is well 

 developed in most of the species, and is nearly as long as or 

 longer than the body. When not in use the organ is curled up 

 like a watch - spring, between the palpi. The antennae are 

 fusiform, ciliate in the male and simple in the female, and with 

 the tip more or less bent into a hook. In some species the 

 antennae are club-shaped, with a few short, bristle-like hairs 

 at the tip. 



The thorax is well developed, either with the vestiture smooth, 

 or with the posterior portion with erect scales, or with the an- 

 terior portion with an elevated tuft. 



The body usually is long and graceful, with the segments 

 graduallv tapering. Some species are provided with a more or 

 less entire fan-like tuft at the end of the botly. 



The eggs are green, smooth, oval or oblong oval. They arc 

 usually laid singly, on the under sides of a leaf, and the young 



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