50 



where it is almost black, and runs across the wing, ending at the middle of the anterior edge ; from 

 whence to the middle it resembles a row of arches joined together. 



The caterpillar of this insect, according to Abbot and .Smith, is brown, with four dorsal 

 dark flesh-coloured lines, and a series of short lateral oblique cream-coloured marks united 

 together over the legs. It feeds upon the sweet potatoe plant (Convolvulus Batatas, Linn.), 

 and is sometimes frequent though the moth is rare. The chrysalis is chesnut, with a long 

 curved tongue case, the extremity of which is recurved. It is often dug up with the 

 potatoes. In Virginia one of these insects buried itself October ord, and came forth in 

 the perfect state on the 3Uth of May ; whilst one observed in Georgia went into the ground 

 on the 20th of August, and came out the 11th of September. 



This species was considered by Drury and Smith as a climatal variety of the Europsean 

 Sphinx Convolvuli. Fabricius, however, considered it distinct, and designated it by the 

 specific name adopted above. 



GLAUCOPIS POLYMENA. 



Plate XXI. fig. 1. 



Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Crepuscularia ? Family: Zygsemdve, Leach. 



Genus. Glaucopis, Fab?: Sphinx, Zinn. Drury. 



Gi.Aucopis PoLYMENA. Nigra, alis maculis luteis, anticis tribus, posticis duabus; abdomine cingulis 



coecineis. (Expans. Alar, fere 2 unc.) 

 Syn. ' Sphinx Polymcna, Linn. Syst. Nat. 2. 806. No. 40. Cram. Ins. t. 13. /.D. 



Zygsena Polymelia, Fabr. Ent. Syst. 111. 1. p. 396. No. 34. Gmel. Linn. S. N. 2394. 40. (Sphinx.) 

 Habitat : China. 



Upper Side. Antennee black and pectinated, being smallest at their extremities ; between them is 

 a white round spot placed on the front of the head ; above them, on the neck, is a round spot of bright 

 scarlet. Thorax black. The first segment of the abdomen scarlet ; the two next are black, verged on 

 their lower edges with a beautiful sky blue colour; behind this the abdomen is of a fine vermilion, 

 separated by two small black lines, the extremity being black. Anterior wings dark brown, having next 

 the shoulders a small spot of shining blue, and three spots of a deep yellow ; the two largest of which 

 appear as if divided by the tendons, which are black and run across them. Posterior wings dark brown, 

 with two deep yellow spots ; the smaller one near the shoidders, the other near the middle. 



Under Side. Breast black, spotted with white at the base. The abdomen dark brown at the base, 

 behind which is pale red tinged with white ; the extremity dark brown. Anus pale red. The wings 

 are the same colour as on the upper side. 



