e 



BEITISH MOTHS. 



series of electric sparks. Kirby and Spence, 

 the authors of the invaluable " Introduction 

 to Entomology," and all subsequent writers 

 on Entomology, notice this fact ; and we have 

 ourselves repeatedly confirmed it during the 

 past summer. We have also observed that 

 ' the chrysalis squeaks when about to change 

 to a moth ; but the sound produced by the 

 perfect insect is the most remarkable. " "When 

 it walks, and more particularly when it is 

 confined or taken into the hand, it sends forth 

 a strong and sharp cry, resembling that of 

 a mouse, but more plaintive, and even lament- 

 able, which it continues as long as it is held. 

 This cry does not appear to be produced by 

 the wings, for when they, as well as the thorax 

 and abdomen, are held down, the cries of 

 the insect become still louder." There has 

 been a great diversity of opinion as to the 

 manner in which this squeaky sound is pro- 

 duced. Reaumur occupied himself very as- 

 siduously in endeavouring to arrive at a 

 satisfactory conclusion on the subject, and at 

 last decided that it proceeded from the mouth. 

 The insect, in common with all other Moths, 

 has two short feelers, or palpi, in front of its 

 head, and between these is situated the trunk, 

 tongue, or proboscis; and Reaumur thought 

 that it rubbed the trunk against the feelers. 



and that the squeaking resulted from this 

 friction. He straightened out the curved pro- 

 boscis with a large pin, and as often as he 

 performed this operation the squeaking ceased, 

 and was renewed again directly he allowed 

 the proboscis to resume its usual position. He 

 then separated the feelers widely, so that they 

 could not touch the proboscis, and this also 

 stopped the sound ; he then cut off one of the 

 feelers, and the sound was scarcely audible. 

 Schroeter was also of opinion that the sound 

 was produced by rubbing the proboscis against 

 some part of the head, but he does not specify 

 what part of the head. Huber, Roesel, and 

 other entomologists totally dissent from this 

 view, and the latter made up kis mind that it 

 was caused by rubbing the thorax against the 

 abdomen, or that part of the body that im- 

 mediately joins the thorax or chest. It is not 

 > Uttle remarkable, that, now the insect has 

 become comparatively common, our excellent 

 living entomologists have not solved this 

 curious problem. However, let the cause of 

 the noise be what it may, the effect is to pro- 

 duce the most superstitious feelings among 

 the uneducated, by whom it is always re- 

 garded with feelings of awe and terror. 

 (Scientific name, Acker ontia Atropos,} 



5. The Convolvulus Hawk-Moth (Sphinx Convohutf). 



5. THE COSTVOLVULTJS HAWK-MOTH. Fore 

 wings grey, delicately marbled and mottled 

 with darker waved lines : hind wings paler 

 gvcy, with three dark, almost black bands, the 



middle double, body with a grey stripe down 

 the middle, and alternate pink and black 

 spots on each side, a narrow white line be- 

 tween the two colours. The trunk, or tongue, 



