OF THE 



UNI\ 7 EESIT\ 7 



SMALL ELEPHANT HAWK-MOTH. 



Metopsilus Porcellus. 

 PLATE XI. Fig. 2. 



Sphinx Porceilus, Linn.; Donovan* be. PJ. 314 Small Eltv 



phant Hawk-moth, Wilkes, PI. 16; Harris Deilcph. Por- 

 cellus, Curtis, Stephens. 



THE smallest British species of the genus, the ex- 



)ansion of the wings heing usually about twenty 

 es. The upper wings are chiefly ochrey yellow, 

 variegated with purple, the outer extremity with a 



)urple hand dentated on the inner side. The under 

 wings are hlackish anteriorly and purple behind, the 



ntermediate space yellowish ; the fringe of all the 

 wings is white, with a few irregular purple spots. 

 The body is entirely deep rose-colour or purplish, 



'he back occasionally tinged with greenish-yellow. 



The caterpillar resembles that of D. Elper^or^ 

 and feeds on similar plants, the yellow lady's-bed- 

 straw and narrow-leaved willow herb ( E. Angusti- 

 folium), being its favourite repast. It is sometimes 



greenish, but more commonly brown, with three 

 ocelliform spots on each side, having a white pupil 



and a red iris. The anal horn is very minute. The 

 moth is not so plentiful as the preceding, but it ha*. 



