PREFACE. 



The question — What was the Sphinx Vespiformis of 

 Linnseus? — is one that has occurred to ahiiost every ento- 

 mologist. It seemed rather strange tliat Linnaeus should 

 have described, in ail his works, an insect which had 

 no existence ; yet that really appeared to be the case. 

 Laspeyres, the clever monographer of the Europcean Sesice, 

 previously to the appearance of that work, wrote to my 

 highly valued and ingenious friend, Mr. Clark, requesting 

 that he would investigate and describe for him the real 

 Linngean specimen of Vespiformis which was in the 

 Linnsean cabinet, at that time in the possession of the 

 late Sir J. E. Smith. Mr. Clark not only described the 

 specimen in question, but employed that excellent artist, 

 Sydenham Edwards, to make a drawing of it, which was 

 forthwith forwarded to Berlin. Laspeyres exclaims — " Scd 

 quod spectaculum! — Sesia asiliformis erat.""^ This was too 



* Sesiae Europeae, p. 18. Obser. 



