80 REV. A. MILES MOSS ON THE 



readily affords to the eye a sense of proportion between distances and elevations, a 

 general accuracy is claimed. In all three districts I made an extensive collection of 

 Butterflies and Moths, and accumulated notes and figures relating to many different 

 families. The larvas of the Sphingidse and Saturniidse, hovi^ever, were my speciality, 

 and they were certainly among the most prominent and handsome features in the whole 

 range of the study, and both orders in the Interior were exceptionally well represented 

 in variety of species. Though such large and powerful creatures in many instances, I 

 found them particularly delicate, and a distressingly large number proved to be the 

 victims of parasitic attack. I naturally had far greater leisure in regard to the coast 

 species, and could always afford my entertaining family a reposeful existence and fresh 

 food under normal conditions. Out of the nineteen Sphingids which I discovered on 

 the west coast, eighteen were more or less frequently taken in Lima itself at light or 

 otherwise, and only one, EuryglotUs dcmdianiis, was entirely localised on the western 

 slopes of the Andes at from 7000 to 8000 feet. In the immediate vicinity of Lima, 

 moreover, the larvae of twelve of this number were constantly taken, while one or two 

 eluded my most diligent search. It was not until quite the close of my time when it 

 became apparent to me that neither Pholus labruscce nor Pseudosphinx tetrio were true 

 coast species, but that in every instance they had flown over the Andes from ihe region 

 of their food-plants in the Interior. Several other species, too, which were intercepted 

 in their flight by the strong electric arc lamps of Lima, and even of Cerro de Pasco 

 and other mining centres in the' higher Andes, were undoubtedly more or less 

 subject to the same migratory tendencies from the Interior. The record, however, 

 is a somewhat remarkable one in comparison with the Sphingidse of the British 

 Islands, and especially in view of the restricted character of the Peruvian coast 

 vegetation. 



In regard to times of appearance, much needs elucidation by prolonged and careful 

 investigation of the habits of each species. Speaking generally, there is nothing 

 corresponding to the regularity observable in British Lepidoptera. 



The seasonal changes are roughly but two, a dry and a wet season, and though the 

 heavy tropical rains of the Interior and stormy downpours of the Andes are unknown 

 on the coast, the climatic conditions of the latter are in point of time exactly the 

 converse of the two former. In the Interior it is hot and wet from November till the 

 end of April. During the same period the Andes are subjected to heavy rains and 

 thunder-storms, while the coast region enjoys bright and moderately hot summer 

 weather. About the middle of May the so-called Avinter season begins at Lima, and 

 till November a low-lying canopy of grey cloud enshrouds the region with but few 

 intermittent bright days, while a cold drizzling mist sweeps m from the sea as an 

 accompaniment of the Humboldt current from the south, the thermometer varying but 

 little from G0° F. Simultaneously tlie rains of the hill-country cease, a scorching sun 

 quickly brings the wild flowers to perfection and as quickly reduces them once more 



