DESCKIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 129 



Occasionally a variety of the larva occurs of very different 

 appearance, but the form of the caudal horn at once 

 enables us to recognize it. Its principal food in this 

 country is the potato ; hence the larvae or pupae are 

 occasionally met with in some numbers by those 

 occupied in digging up potatoes. It also feeds on 

 jasmine and on Lycium barbarum (a plant which in the 

 midland counties seems very well known by the name 

 of the "tea- tree"). The larva may be met with from 

 the middle of July to the beginning of October ; they 

 seem, however, to occur most frequently about August. 

 The perfect insect is very rarely met with ; sometimes 

 it is found concealed amongst ivy ; it has a great 

 partiality for honey, and has been known to enter 

 beehives in search of it. It possesses the power of 

 squeaking, making a noise almost like a mouse. 



FAMILY II. SPHINGID.E. 



SPHINX LIGUSTRI. THE PKIVET HAWK- 

 MOTH. 



Very common throughout the southern and south- 

 midland counties of England ; scarcer as we advance 

 northward, and hardly known in Scotland. 



The expansion of the wings varies from 3J to 4 

 inches. The fore-wings are very pale brown, streaked 

 with black and clouded with brown from the inner 

 margin to the apex ; the hind- wings are pale rosy, with 

 three broad black bands. 



The very beautiful larva is smooth, with the head 

 rounded above ; it is bright green ; on each side it has 

 seven oblique white streaks, bordered above with lilac ; 

 the horn is smooth and curved, it is shining black, with 



K 



