110 DESTKUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



one of our hawk moths; these, I need hardly remind 

 you, being quite harmless to human beings or domestic 

 animals. 



When these larvae are numerous, which luckily is not 

 often the case, one of them will strip a vine in less time 

 than it would take six caterpillars of the common vine 

 moth to do, the quantity that they can get through being 

 enormous. 



In Australia we have about twelve species of this genus, 

 many of these being very large and handsome. We have 

 another large species in* Victoria, C. erotus, also attack- 

 ing the vine, and this will be figured in Part III. of the 

 Handbook, our plates of the latter insect not being ready. 

 The Sphingidce are nocturnal in their habits, and about 

 dusk may be seen hovering around flowering plants in our 

 gardens. They fly very rapidly and make a whirring 

 noise with their wings. 



In many parts of Victoria, also near Melbourne, there 

 is to be found a small cinnamon-brown coloured hawk 

 moth, C. scrofa. This is a most interesting species, but 

 does but little harm, and, being a great beauty, is much 

 sought after by collectors of Lepidoptera. 



To those who care to rear specimens of this family for 

 themselves, it may be mentioned that the perfect speci- 

 mens should never be taken in the hand whilst alive, as 

 the somewhat conical-shaped and partly cylindrical body 

 is difficult to hold between the thumb and finger. If 

 specimens are wanted in a state of perfection, they must 

 be reared from the chrysalides ; these latter should be 

 placed upon some grassy turf, and kept in an airy light 

 place until the perfect insects appear, when they should 

 be chloroformed and at once pinned, and if stuffed with 

 camphorated cotton wool or plaster of Paris are all the 

 better. 



Upon examining one of these moths it will be observed 

 that they have a long spiral tongue, which they insert into 

 the tube of a flower much the same as a humming-bird 

 does with its long and slender bill, the honey being thus 

 extracted. 



