XI. Revision of the Heterocerous Lepidoptera of the family Sphingide. By ARTHUR 
Garpiner Butier, /.L.S., F.Z.8., &c., Senior Assistant, Z. ological Department, 
British Museum. 
Read April 6th, 1875. 
[Puates XC.-XCIV.] 
THE extensive group of moths composing the family Sphingidw has always been a 
fayourite one, not only with Lepidopterists, but with all lovers of nature; its represen- 
tatives surpass most of the other families of Heterocera in size, whilst in their speed and 
long-sustained flights they are equalled by no other group with which I am acquainted. 
The highly specialized condition of some of the structural characters in this family 
has from time to time aroused a special interest in them: thus the complete resem- 
blance which most of the Macroglossine bear to humming-birds, owing to the remark- 
able expanded anal tuft and their habit of poising over a flower whilst sucking the 
nectar through their long outstretched proboscides, have rendered them objects of peculiar 
attraction to the uninitiated, many of whom fancy them to be true humming-birds, 
and refuse to be convinced of their error. In the ‘ Naturalist on the Amazons’ (vol. i. 
pp. 181-183), Mr. Bates tells us that the natives firmly believe that the moth changes 
into the bird just as the caterpillar into the moth; the resemblance between Aellopus 
titan and a humming-bird is so complete when upon the wing that he himself on several 
occasions shot the former in mistake for the latter. The Cherocampine are chiefly re- 
markable for their power of long sustained flight; there is, however, nothing extraordi- 
nary in their appearance in the perfect state; the Ambulicinw and some genera of the 
Cherocampine have the anal segment of the abdomen in the males expanded at the 
sides, giving them somewhat the aspect of Macroglossinw in this respect; the Smerin- 
thine are often brilliantly coloured, and the antenne of the males are pectinated, much 
as in some genera of the Bombycidw. The remarkable genus of Smerinthinw, Lopho- 
stethus, has the spines on the tibie marvellously developed. The object of these spines 
has yet to be discovered ; I can only suppose that the larva undergoes its change to 
the pupa-state in very hard earth, and thus it becomes necessary for the moth to be 
provided with powerful weapons in order to effect its escape. 
The Acherontiine have attracted much attention on account of their peculiar colora- 
tion, which has given rise to their popular name of Death’s-head Moths; they possess 
VOL. 1x.—PART x. No. 1.—October, 1876. 32 
