140 BETTISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



ing hastily away on the incautious approach of the 

 collector. 



We have eight other species of Clearwinged Sphinges, 

 but the differences between them are very minute, and 

 too intricate to be detailed here ; the species figured 

 (Plate III., Fig. 6) is the Flame-tipped Ked-belt (T. 

 formicseforme) . 



BOMBYCINA. FAMILY I. HEPIALLD.E. 



HEPIALUS LUPULINUS. THE COMMON 

 SWIFT. 



This species is extremely plentiful throughout the 

 country. 



The expansion of the wings varies from 1 inch to 

 nearly 1J inch. The fore-wings are of a pale brown, 

 with a whitish streak from the base towards the 

 inner margin, and with an interrupted whitish streak 

 beginning nearly where the first leaves off, and running 

 towards the apex of the wing ; sometimes there is a dis- 

 tinct white spot on the disk between these streaks. The 

 intensity of the markings varies extremely ; in some 

 specimens there are semi-transparent patches on the 

 wings, in others all the white markings are suppressed. 

 The female generally has the markings more indistinct. 

 The fringes are always unspotted ; the hind- wings are of 

 a smoky-brown, with the fringes more tawny. 



The larva is whitish, with the head shining brownish- 

 yellow, and with a yellowish-brown plate on the back of 

 each of the three next segments ; it feeds underground, 

 from autumn to spring, on the roots of various herba- 

 ceous plants. 



The perfect insect appears towards the end of May, 

 generally just when we see the first tufts of purple clover 



