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division. The friction-scales of tlie clasper (<?) are, as in the Sphingidae asemano- 

 pAorae, often absent; but if tiie}- occur, they are erect or half erect, never forming a 

 smooth patch as in Afherontiiyme and Ambiilicinae. They develop to lar^e, strongly 

 ribbed, often asymuietrical, lanceolate, pointed or truncate scales, which are easily 

 recognised with the naked eye (PI. LYIII. f. 37). If these scales are much 

 enlarged, their number is reduced, the smallest number (one) being found in some 

 Choerocampinae. 



The legs offer also some peculiarities not met witli among the previous sub- 

 families. The mid- and hindco.xal merum are carinate behind or are produced 

 backwards into a large tooth in many Sesiinae and Nepkelicae (PI. LXIII. f. 2). The 

 tibiae are rarely spinose, and the jiro.'simal pair of spurs of the hindtibia is absent from 

 only one sjiecies {Microspliinx pumiluni). The anterior tibia is occasionally produced 

 into a thorn, as hajijiens also among the Spliiitgidae asemanophovae. The comb of 

 the mid- and hindtarsus is often present, but the sjmies are never much prolonged, 

 a comb as re})resented by Pi. LXIV. f. 7 being confined to the Aclierontiinae. The 

 spurs ajijiear often crested on tlie innerside, the scales being here raised, often spine- 

 like, and we find occasionally a distinct comb t)f spines (PI. LXIV. f. 8). The 

 external spines of the mid- and hindtarsus are sometimes very numerous, short and 

 strong, lying almost flat upon the tarsus {Macroi/lossiim, Atemnora, etc.). The 

 pulvillus does not disappear often, only one species of Haemorrhagia, Arctonotiis 

 luci(li(s, and Kitproserpinz/g phaeton (we have not seen Arctonotus terlooi and 

 Euproiierpiiu<!i eutirpe) being witiiout it. The paronychium preserves as a rule the 

 four lobes, with a few exceptions, the ventral lobes being occasionally reduced 

 (Giirelca, Sphinqonafipiopsis, etc.), or the jiaronychinm being altogether vestigial 

 (^Arctnnotus, Kuproscrpinus) . 



The wings are very variable in shape ; the frenulum and retinaculum are 

 always present. 



The tongue-case of the pnjia always reaches to the end of the wing-cases, 

 never being abbreviated as in Ceratomia among Arlierontiinae and in nearly 

 all Amijiilicinue. It is often enlarged frontad, and compressed, and projects in 

 Rhyncholaha in a similar way as in Protoparce. 



The larvae are notgranulose as in Amhulicinne, nor have they ever a triangular 

 head ; they are also not regularly banded as in most Protoparce, Ih^loiciis ligustri, 

 etc. The horn of the cylindrical larvae is often straight or curved forward, and is 

 longest in the early stages ; in the last stage it is occasionally reduced to a button- 

 like tubercle. The anterior segments and the head are often reduced, and the third 

 and fourth enlarged. Ocellated larvae occur only in the present division of the 

 Spliiiigidae. A sharj)ly marked dorso-lateral line running from head to horn is 

 very often met with. 



The ancestral forms from which this mass of species has developed are 

 represented by Pachylia, Pseudosphinx, hognathus, Krinnyis, Grammodia, and 

 Pholus. Tiie ancestral genera possessed non-clubbed antenna, with a long end- 

 segment, whicii was, however, more elongate-bottle-shaped than filiform ; a large 

 palpns with the sensory hairs of the first segment occupying the whole non-sealed area 

 of tlie inner surface ; uniserial, long, stout, conical spines to the abdomen ; in c? 

 numerous small friction-scales not very different in size from the ordinary scales 

 of the dasjier ; in ? a triangular nou-si)inose seventh sternite ; a simply rounded 

 merum to mid- and hinclci>.\ae ; fully ilevelopcd pulvillus and paronychium ; a 

 comb of moiierately long spines on the mid- and liindtarsi ; a smooth, sub- 



