PRIVET MOTH. 209 



which are mostly edged with pink. The horn is blue 

 above and yellow beneath. In most parts of England 

 this is a very plentiful insect, and can be either bred 

 or captured without the least difficulty. I have bred 

 considerable numbers of this insect, and have found 

 no difficulty in rearing them less difficulty, in fact, 

 than I have experienced with any Hawk-Moth, except, 

 perhaps, the Privet Moth, respecting which a few 

 words must presently be said. 



PASSING by the CONVOLVULUS HAWK-MOTH 

 {Sphinx convolvuli], we may pause for a while upon 

 the well-known PRIVET MOTH (Sphinx ligustri], so 

 called in honour of the plant on which the larva 

 feeds. 



This fine Moth is really one of the commonest of 

 British insects, although seldom seen on account of its 

 nocturnal habits and the limited amount of the plant 

 on which it mostly feeds. The Moth itself is a very 

 handsome one, with a wide expanse of wings, very 

 prettily coloured. The upper wings are very warm 

 brown, mottled and clouded with dark brown ; and 

 the lower wings are pink, crossed by three nearly 

 horizontal black bands. The body is pink, banded 

 and striped with black. The caterpillar is a peculiarly 

 handsome one. It is smooth and green, and has on 

 each side seven diagonal stripes, the upper part of 

 each stripe being violet, merging rapidly into white 

 towards the under side. 



These caterpillars feed on the common privet, and 

 may almost always be found in profusion where that 

 plant is present, 



p 



