Macrolepidoptera of Statex Island i i 



Sphecodina abbotii Swainson. May. June, July. 



Deidamia inscriptum Harris. ^lay, June. 



Deilephila lineata Fabricius. July. August. September; also 

 on October 2^, 1900. As an illustration of the powerful flight 

 of the Sphingidae I may mention that one day in August, several 

 years ago. I observed several English sparrows endeavoring to 

 capture a specimen of D. lineata. The moth flew in circles while 

 the sparrows made vain eflforts to head it off. This species, 

 which usually flies in the morning and evening twilight, also flies 

 occasionally at noonday. I have seen it in the brightest sunshine, 

 visiting the flowers of a thistle. 



Theretra tersa Linnaeus. May. June. August, September. 

 This insect has been taken at petunia flowers, which arc also 

 attractive to other hawkmoths. 



Pholus pandorus Hiibner. June, July, August. A specimen 

 has been given to me by ^Ir. Alanson Skinner, collected at Xew 

 Brighton in the early part of Xovember. 



Pholus achemon Drury. June, July. August. 



Ampelophaga choerilus Cramer. June. July, August. 



Ampelophaga myron Cramer. INIay. June, July, August. 

 This and its congener are often attracted by the mixture called 

 " sugar,'* ordinarily prepared for noctuid moths. 



Phlegethontius quinquemaculata Haworth. June, July, Au- 

 gust, September. This, like many other Sphingidae, is quite 

 dazed when disturbed in the daytime. I once found one on 

 a fence and threw it into the air. It flew about in circles for a 

 considerable time before it selected a definite direction. 



Phlegethontius sexta Johanssen. June. July, August, Sep- 

 tember. The Carolina sphinx and the five-spotted sphinx visit 

 the funnelshaped flowers of the two species of Datura. Many of 

 them are killed by the electric lights, and I have found as many 

 as ten specimens of P. quinquctnaculata about one lamp. 



Phlegethontius rustica Fabricius. A single individual cap- 

 tured at an electric light near Four Corners, and now in the 

 museum of the Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences. 



Sphinx kalmiae Smith & Abbot. August. 



