6 



much to believe ; the search was given up as hopeless, and 

 the existence of the Linnaean Vespiformis was pretty much 

 considered a fable. On making some inquiries, a few 

 months back, about the species of i^geria, the total loss 

 of one out of the three Linnaean species appeared a little 

 unaccountable ; and seeing the name of my friend in 

 Laspeyres' work, in the note above referred to, I deter- 

 mined to have recourse to him, as the best authority on 

 the subject. Mr. Clark, with the greatest kindness, at once 

 accompanied me to pay a visit to the said Sphinx, now in 

 possession of the Linnaean Society: we instantly, on seeing 

 it, fell in with the decision of Laspeyres — •" Sesia asiliformis 

 erat ;" yet it agreed excellently with the character which 

 Linnaeus had assigned to Vespiformis : " Alls fenestratis; 

 abdomine barbato /ligro; incisuris tribus posterioribiis 

 margine Jlavis : capite annulojlavo"^ — No character could 

 be more correct; the specimen was labelled in the hand- 

 writing of Linnaeus, and the fenestrated wings merely 

 arose from the specimen being exceedingly wasted. The 

 fact was decided : the proof is open to all ; and the 

 existence of Sphinx Vespiformis must henceforth cease to 

 be a fable. 



To ascertain the place among insects, or even animated 

 beings, which this Sphinx Vespiformis naturally occupies, 

 I have attempted in the following pages. 



* Linn. Syst. \at. T. I. Pars. II. p. 804. 



