608 Div. 3. ARTICULATA.— IXSECTA. Class 3. 



THE SECOND FAMILY OF THE LEPIDOPTERA,— 

 The Creposcularia, — 



Has, near tbe arigin of the external edge of the hind wings, a stiflF bristle, which passes through a hook 

 on the under side of the fore-wings, maintaining them whilst in repose in a horizontal or inclined 

 position ; according to Godart, however, some of the Smerinthi are nevertheless destitute of this in- 

 strument, wliich is also found in the following family, but the Crepuscularias are distinguished by their 

 antennae forming an elongated mass, either prismatic or fusiform. Their caterpillars have always sixteen 

 feet ; their chrysalides are not angulated like those of the Diurnal Lepidopt^ra, and are mostly in- 

 closed in a. cocoon, or are concealed either in tlie earth or beneath some substance. They mostly fly 

 either in the morning or evening [twilight]. This family composes the genus 



Sphinx, Linn., — 

 Which has derived its name from the peculiar attitudes of the larvae, which resemble the fabled Sphinx. 

 They make a humming noise during flight. I divide this genus into four sections, corresponding to the 

 Fabrician genera Catfnia, Sphinx, Sesia, and Zygcma. 



The first, Hesperi-sphinges, is composed of Lepidoptera which evidently seem to connect the Hes- 

 periae and true Sphinges. The antennae are always simple, thickened in the middle, or towards the tip, 

 which forms a pointed hook without a bundle of hairs at the end. All have a very distinct proboscis, 

 and the palpi are composed of three distinct joints. In some, the terminal joint is long, slender, and 

 nearly naked, as in Urania; in others they are shorter and broader. 



Agarista, Leach, has the palpi long-, with the terminal joint nearly naked ; the antennae gradually thickened in 

 the middle, and terminated by a long liook. [Xew Holland iusects.] 



Cocytia, Boisduval, has glass-like wings ; the palpi are as in Urania, and the antennae as in Agarista. 



Coronis, Latr., lias the palpi similar, suddenly terminated in a club, with a hook at the tip. [A Brazilian species.] 



Catlnia, Fabr., has the antennae like those of Agarista, but the palpi are shorter, broader, and cyliudric. [See 

 the monographs of Dalman, Gray, and the Etveyelopedie il^lAodique.] 



The second section, Sphingides, has the antennae always terminated by a small brush of scales ; the 

 palpi are broad or transversely compressed, very squamose, with tlie third joint mostly indistinct. The 

 majority of the caterpillars liave the body smooth, elongated, with a horn on the back, near the ex- 

 tremity of the body ; and the sides oblique or longitudinally striped. They feed on leaves, and 

 undergo their changes in the earth without weaving a web. Such are the species of 



Sphinx, Linn, [or the Hawk Moths], — 

 Properly so called, which have the antennas prismatic, simply ciliated, or striated on one side, and which 

 have a distinct proboscis. They fly with great swiftness, hovering over flowers, and making a humming 

 sound ; the chrysalides of some species have the tongue-case exserted like a nose, as in S/jhiiur C'onvol- 



vuli, the Unicorn Hawk Moth. 



The species are numerous, and of very large size. 

 One of the largest, is the Death's Head Moth, Sphinx 

 Atrnpos, Linn, [belonging to the subgenus Acherontia, 

 Och.], remarkable for the skull-like patch on the back 

 of the thorax, and for the squeaking kind of noise it 

 emits, which has been supposed by R(5auniur to be 

 caused by rubbing the palpi against each other, and 

 by I^rey to be owing to the rapid escape of the air from 

 two ventral cavities ; the caterpillar is of a very large 



size, and feeds on potatoes, jasmine, &c. 

 Fi^. lOT.— Achcronlia atropos ; reduced. „,. . ^ , . r.. • .*. i 



The larva; of other species [forming the subgenus 

 Eumorpha, Hb., or Metoptiltts, Duncan], have the power of thrusting out the front of the body to a great 

 length, [whence they have obtained the name of Elephant Hawk Moths,] such as f!ph. Elpenor, Porcellus, &c. 



Other Sphingides have the body terminated by a tassel of scales. Scopoli formed them into a distinct genus, 

 Mncrofjlossum. Such are the Humming-Bird Hawk-Moth (Sph. stellatarnm), and the Broad and Narrow-bordered 

 Bee-Moths (Sph. fuci/ormis, Bombyliformig, &c.), the two last of which have the wings glassy. [This group of 

 Hawk Moths is remarkable for flying in the hottest sunshine.] 



Smfrinf/itis, Latr., has the antenncc serrated, and the tongue wanting. The species are sluggish in their flight, 

 and the hind wings extend beyond the fore ones iu repose, as in many moths. Sj)h. Tilitc, Populi, and ocellaia. 



