MEMYTHRUS. 287 



a transverse stripe on the fore-wings rusty-brown. The fringes 

 are tawny. 



The larva lives in the trunk and roots of willows and 

 poplars. It is whitish and pubescent, with a dusky dorsal line, 

 and a dark brown head. 



The moth is found from May to July, sitting on the trunks 

 of poplars, &c., near the root, when it looks exactly like a 

 large wasp. 



GENUS MEMYTHRUS. 



Paranthrene, pt. Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett. p. 128 (1818?); 



Newman, Ent. Mag. i.-p. 83 (Sept. 1832); Walker, List 



Lepid. Ins. Brit. Mus. viii. p. 13 (1856). 



Memythrus, Newman, Sphinx Vespiformis, p. 53 (Jan. 1832). 

 Sciapteron^ Staudinger, Ses. Berol. p. 43 (1854). 



The antennae are pectinated and ciliated in the male ; the 

 body is moderately slender and tufted at the tip, and the fore- 

 wings are almost entirely opaque, except for a slight indication 

 of transparency at the base ; the hind- wings are transparent, 

 except the borders. 



THE DUSKY CLEAR-WING. MEMYTHRUS VESPIFORMIS. 

 (Plate CLV., Fig. 2.) 



Sphinx vespiformiS) Linnaeus, Faun. Suec. p. 289 (1761). 

 Sphinx tabaniformis, Von Rottenburg, Naturf. vii, p. no, no. 4 



(1775)- 



Sphinx asiliformis, Denis & Schiffermiiller, Syst. Verz. Schmett. 



Wien, p. 305, no. 9 (1776); Esper, Schmett. ii. (2), p. 205, 



Taf. 29, fig. i (1782 ?). 

 Sesia asiliformis, Laspeyres, Ses. Eur. p. 10 (1801); Ochsen- 



heimer, Schmett. Eur. ii. p. 128 (1808); Barrett, Lepid. 



Brit. Isl. ii. p. 78, pi. 55, figs, i, i a (1893). 



