66 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



these, with green fore wings and yellow hind wings, and the borders of all the wings are strongly 

 dentated. It is called Pterogon proserpiua, and flies at dusk. 



Many of the larger Sphinges feed on the vine, the best known of which is the Sharp-winged 

 Hawk Moth (Chcerocampa celerio), which is common in many parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, 

 though rare in Britain. It has pale brown fore wings, with a waved silvery stripe running from near 

 the base of the inner margin to the tip ; the hind wings are rose-colour, with the hind margins and a 

 central streak broadly black. The caterpillars of the genus to which this insect belongs have the 

 front segments tapering and retractile, which gives them a fancied resemblance to a hog's snout 

 or elephant's trunk, whence they derive their Greek name of C/werocampa (hog's snout), and 

 their English name of Elephant Hawk Moths, generally applied to two smaller and commoner 

 species of this genus. There is an American genus allied to these, called Philampelus (or vine- 



__ loving), because most of the species feed 



=^-_ on this plant. One of the most singular 

 species is Philampeku labruscce (the lover 

 of the wild vine), which is common in 

 Central and South America. The fore 

 wings are dull green, and the hind wings 

 are pale blue and black at the base, with 

 broad pale yellow borders. It measures 

 about five inches across the wings. 



Our only genus of Hawk Moths with 

 dentated wings is Smerinthus, to which the 

 Eyed Hawk Moth (/ ocellatus} belongs. 

 The fore wings are light brown, and the 

 hind wings are pale pink, with a large 

 round blue spot in a black ring towards the 

 anal angle. One of the allied North 

 American species (/&'. geminatus) has a 

 double eye in a similar position. 



One of the most remarkable species of 

 this group is the Death's Head Hawk 

 Moth (Ackerontia atrupos), the largest Moth 

 found in Britain. The fore wings are 

 dark brown, varied with black, grey, and 

 yellowish, and the hind wings are dark yellow, with two black bands. On the back of the thorax is a 

 pattern in grey and black, not unlike a skull. The abdomen is banded with black and yellow, with 

 a longitudinal bluish-grey band on the back. The body is very stout, the antennae are thick and rather 

 short, and the wings expand about six inches. The enormous yellowish-green caterpillar, with dark 

 stripes on the sides, feeds on various plants, 

 including the potato, and has actually been 

 sometimes mistaken for the Colorado Potato 

 Beetle ! The Moth is capable of producing 

 a sound resembling the squeaking of a mouse, 

 and will sometimes enter hives to feast on 

 the honey. It is supposed that its squeak 

 -overawes the Bees, in the same manner as 

 the voice of their own queen. I may here 

 mention that I once knew a German artisan 

 who was an enthusiastic collector of Butter- 

 flies and Moths, and when he was dying he 



requested a friend to place a specimen of this insect on his breast in his coffin, which was accord- 

 ingly done. 



The type of the Sphingidce is the Privet Hawk Moth (Sphinx ligustri). It measures about four 



EYED HAWK. MOTH. 



CHRYSALIS OF DEATH'S HEAD HAWK MOTH. 



