133 



DEATH'S-HEAD HAWK-MOTH. 



Acherontia Atropos. 

 PLATE V. 



Sphinx Atropos, Linn. ; Donovan, ix. PI. 289, 290. Jasmine 

 Hawk-moth, WUkes, PI. 19. Death's Head, Harris. 

 Acherontia Atropos, Ochsen. Bee- Tiger Moth, Curtis, iv. 

 PI. 147 ; Stephens. 



THE shortness of the proboscis and antennae, the 

 latter terminating in a kind of hook supporting a 

 long hairy seta, and the entire margin of the wings 

 without indentation or sinuosity, suffice to distin- 

 guish ACHEBONTIA from the genera with which it 

 has long been associated. Other subordinate dis- 

 tinctions are to be found in several peculiarities 

 of structure, and the caterpillar, besides presenting 

 some other differences in character and aspect, has 

 the caudal horn thickly tuberculated. The only 

 British species is the striking and well known 

 insect above referred to. The expansion of the 

 wings varies from four to five inches, and females 

 have occasionally been found not much short of six 

 inches in extent: it must therefore be considered 

 not only as the largest of our indigenous lepidoptera, 

 but with one exception, the Peacock-moth ( Sa- 

 turnia Pavonia major}, the largest insect inhabiting 

 Europe. The surface of the primary wings is dark- 



