( xiii ) 

 Gniidlarli in liis (Dnlr. Kul. Cilimiit {\S>~\). TIip lovrarr ]ia])pr wns tlic licst 

 written on Sphiiiyiditc np to tliat time. 



The Central American Hawk Moths arc euunici'titcMl and partly ilescrihod 

 and figured by II. 1)rnce in the IMol. Ci^ntr. Anu-rlraixi, Lcp. //c/. (lS,s;i— IsOli). 

 The s]ier'ies iicinrrinf>' in the Arfjentine Rejiublic are dealt with hy Rnrmeister 

 in \\\^ Ih'^cv. Ui'ji. .\i(jriitiin- vol. v. (ISTs) ami Atlnx (IsTO). TJie dcseripliims 

 and fiii'nres of tjic earlier stages are oi' inipovtanee, hnt several niislalces in 

 idenlilieation occur. 



There is no list of the African sjiecics. 



Besides these more imjiortant works, which are ]inrely systematic, there are 

 treatises of another nature, dealins;- with (he inarkin<rs and culonr oi' larvae, like 

 Wei.smann's StHiHi'rt hi the Tlironi of Ih-xmil. and I'iepcrs's pajier on the 

 larvae of S/ilihii/iddC pnlilisheil in the 'rijil.<<fhr. I'.nt. for IMIT. 



All the systematic works referred to suffered I'roni a lack of knowledu'e of 

 the morpholosjy of the Sjihingi'laf. Nenration, the organ generally relied npon 

 in the classification of Lepidoptera., being of little assistance in the Hawk Moths, 

 the authors sei/.ed npon any sniierficial characters, and tlins were led astray. 

 We hiijie to till up that gap in onr science by the present Revision — at h<ast 

 to a certain extent. Nobody cau be more aware of the incomjiletenoss of onr 

 researches than onrselves. The subject is far too large to allow of being treated 

 after a comparatively small number of years of study in any degree approacliing 

 completeness. Nevertheless, we may fairly claim to have given a new foundation 

 to the study of the Spliiiuiiilae. The groundwork for future researches is there ; 

 future authors will more clearly see their way, and be able to concentrate their 

 efforts on the elucidation of the numerous points only cursorily touched upon 

 in this Revision. 



AVe have generally abstained iVoni giving cb'tniled dcscriptiim of any stage 

 of the known species ; but the keys to the genera and species, and tlie indiciition 

 of some trenchant feature of shape, colour, pattern, or structure under each 

 species, will, we trust, be an efficient guide also to those who wish to use the 

 work as a means of determining the names of the niateri;d in their collections. 

 Though we hope not to have missed any names, we have not attempted to 

 give a complete bibliography of all the species. 

 The work is divided into three parts : — 

 I. General Subject. 

 II. Systematic Section. 

 III. ('atalotvne and Index. 



