NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



[15:7— Oct., 1919 



Tailor-made moth, the adult of the 

 Myron sphinx. 



about it on the surface of the ground, fastens them with silk and 

 there changes to a pupa. 



The sphinx moths are beautiful and elegant creatures Thev 

 have a distinctly tailor-made appearance, their colors are so genteel 

 and "the cat" so perfect. They have long, rather narrow, strong 



wings which enable 

 them to fly with 

 extraordinary ra- 

 pidity. The hind 

 wings are shorter, 

 but act as one with 

 the front wings. 

 The body is stout 

 and spindle-shaped. 

 The antennae are 

 thi ;kened in the 

 middle or toward 

 the tip, and 

 in many species have the tip recurved into a hook. Their 

 colors show most harmonious combinations and most exquisite 

 contrasts; the pattern, although often complex, shows perfect 

 refinement. Olive, tan, brown and ochre, black and yellow, and 

 the whole gamut of greys, with eye-spots or bands athwart the 

 hind wings of rose color or crim- 

 son, are some of the sphinx color 

 schemes. 



Most of the sphinx moths have 

 remarkably long tongues, being 

 sometimes twice the length of 

 the body. When not in use, the 

 curled like a watch 

 front and beneath 

 but of what possible 

 use is such a long tongue! 

 That is a story for certain flowers 

 to tell, the flowers which have 

 the nectar wells far down at the 

 base of tubular corollas, hke the 

 petunia, the morning glory or The tobacco sphinx moth with tongue 



the nasturtium; such flowers Photo by m. v. siingcrimd 



tongue is 

 spring in 

 the head; 



