312 NOCTUENAL MOTHS. 



a swine's snout. They are hence called by the French, 

 " Tfas de Cockm." 



The Elephant Hawk, though in size no elephant of its 

 kind, is produced from a "pig-face" of this description, found 

 not uncommonly on the willow herb and ladies' bed-straw. 



But we must no longer creep with the hawk caterpillars, 

 or even hover, at morn or eve, with the " hawks " themselves, 

 over the dewy flowers, for we have yet to accompany, in their 

 gloomier flights, a select few from the nocturnal Phalcence 

 which compose the main body of moths proper, or second 

 grand division of Lepidopterous insects. Among these, the 

 night-fliers (holding a reverse proportion to those amongst the 

 feathered race) far exceed in number, not only the evening 

 flitters of their own division, but also the "painted populace" 

 which sip honey in open day. 



To sixty species of British butterfly, Kirby tells us of one 

 thousand of moth ; and in all countries moths are considered to 

 be infinitely more numerous than butterflies, though the foreign 

 specimens in cabinets are comparatively few. Independent 

 of their usual time of flight, the nocturnal are distinguished 

 from the twilight moths, by the shape of their antennae, 

 which, instead of enlarging gradually towards the end (as in 

 "hawks") or ending in a club (as in butterflies), diminish 

 in thickness from base to apex, and are generally long, flexi- 

 ble, and often toothed, or resembling feathers.^ 



Now for our select few amongst the numerous night-fliers. 



