55 



rings. The ground of the anterior wings is a fine olive brown ; a flesh-coloured bar begins at the tips, 

 and running parallel with the anterior margin at the middle of the wing, divides into two branches, one 

 continues to the shoulder margin, the other terminates at the middle of the posterior margin ; on the 

 upper part of the bar is placed a small flesh-coloured mark, discoidal, the middle being black ; near the 

 tips arises also from the upper side a second smaller branch, which runs to the anterior edge, which, 

 with the external margin, has a narrow border of a rusty clay colour. Posterior wings with their external 

 edges bordered with red ; above which is a black bar, extending from the anterior edge to the anal 

 angle, where it is much fainter ; the inner margin also red, with a large black patch thereon. The 

 upper parts of the wings are of a blueish ash colour. Nerves pale. 



Under Side. Breast, thighs, and abdomen dark flesh-coloured. The colours of all the wings on this 

 side are faint, being principally of a clay colour ; the inferior ones, next the abdominal edges, being 

 tinged with red. 



The caterpillar of this beautiful Sphinx is remarkable for having only a slight protube- 

 rance at the extremity of the body in place of the erect spine or tail, which is possessed by 

 the majority of the caterpillars of the Sphingidse. It is of a pale yellowish colour, with 

 numerous slender transverse black lines, and white oblique lateral marks directed towards 

 the head. Its food is very various. One, observed by Abbot, went into the ground on the 

 l-ith of August, and came out on the 7th of September; whilst another which went in 

 on the 29th of September, did not come out until the 18th of July following. The moth 

 is rare ; but may occasionally be seen sucking the gourd blossoms in the evening. The 

 chrysalis has a pointed tail, but is destitute of a porrected tongue-case. 



THYREUS LUGUBRIS. 



Plate XXVIII. fig. 2. 



Order : Lepidoptera. Section : Crepusculai-ia. Family : Sphingidse, Leach. 

 Genus. Thyreus, Sinains. Zool. Illustr. vol. 1. 



Thyreus Lughbris. Alis brunneis, anticis strigis undatis parallelis punctoque subocellari atris. (Expans. Alar. 

 •i unc. y lin.) 



Syn. Sphinx Lugubris, Liim. Mant. 2. 537. Fabr. Ent. Si/st. HI. 1. 356. No. 6. Gmel. Linn. 6'. N. 2372. 50. 

 Abbot and Smith Ins. Gewtj. 1. t. 30. Swainson Zool. Illustr. \st Series, vol. 1. 



Habitat : Antigua (Drury). Georgia (Abbot). 



Upper Side. Antennae, head, thorax, and abdomen dark brown. The tail very broad and hairy. 

 All the wings dark brown chesnut ; having very few chstinct marks or lines, except the anterior pair, 

 which have a small black discoidal spot, and a very narrow line next the shoulders of a lighter brown, 

 crossing them from the anterior to the posterior edges. The posterior wings are slightly, the anterior 

 deeply, dentated. 



Under Side. Thorax, legs, abdomen, upper and lower wings rather paler than on the upper side. 

 On the anterior wings are two very faint brown lines, crossing them from the anterior to the posterior 

 edges, situated between the middle and the external margin. On the posterior wings also are two small 

 faint waved lines of a darker colour, beginning at the anterior edges and ending a little above the 

 abdominal corners. 



