292 NOTODONTINA [POLYPLOCA 



pale orbicular spot and indistinct dark-edged discal mark ; an 

 oblique dark grey apical dash. Hind wings light grey ; two 

 darker postmedian lines ; a dark grey terminal fascia. 



Britain to Ross, Ireland, rather common ; N. and C. Europe , 

 3. Larva light green, or slaty-grey ; subdorsal and spiracular 

 series of black spots ; dots white ; head reddish -ochreous : 

 amongst spun leaves of birch ; 5-7. 



3. P. ridens, F. 34-37 mm. Forewings rather dark fuscous, 

 greenish-tinged and partially sprinkled with greenish-whitish ; 

 a white suffusion towards base of costa ; subbasal line blackish ; 

 first and second lines white, waved, blackish-edged, first followed 

 and second preceded by a parallel black stria ; indistinct paler 

 dark-edged orbicular and discal spots ; veins posteriorly partly 

 black-marked ; a terminal series of white black-edged crescentic 

 marks. Hindwings whitish, posteriorly suffused with rather 

 dark fuscous. 



England, local ; C. and SW. Europe ; 3, 4. Larva yellow ; 

 dorsal and spiracular lines green ; subdorsal green, usually inter- 

 rupted; lateral and subspiracular series of small black spots; dots 

 white ; head orange-ochreous : amongst spun leaves of oak ; 6, 7. 



7. SPHINGIDAE. 



Head with dense appressed hairs. Ocelli absent. Eyes 

 glabrous. Antennae thickened towards middle or posteriorly, 

 in (J ciliated with partial whorls. Labial palpi moderate, 

 ascending, with dense projecting scales. Thorax densely hairy 

 beneath. Femora densely hairy. Forewings : 1 b furcate, 6 

 out of 8, 9 absent (rarely present in exceptional individuals). 

 Hindwings : 3 and 4 approximated at base, 5 from middle of 

 transverse vein, parallel to 4, 6 and 7 connate or stalked, 8 

 connected by oblique bar with margin of cell before middle, 

 more or less approximated to 7 near beyond cell. 



This is a numerous family, distributed throughout the 

 principal regions except in New Zealand (where there is only 

 one not truly indigenous species), but more plentifully within 

 the tropics. The images are usually large insects, with stout 

 heavy bodies, elongate-triangular forewings with very oblique 

 termen, and relatively small hind wings ; the wing-muscles are 

 very strong, and the flight exceptionally powerful. 



Ovum spheroidal, smooth. Larva stout, usually with an 

 oblique projecting anal horn, anterior segments sometimes re- 

 tractile or raised in repose. Pupa subterranean. 



