o(j BRITISH MOTHS 



succcsted to Linnanis tlio names tliat lie has given to two of the species, viz. porcellus, the pig, and Elpenor, the 

 name of one of the companions of Ul3'sses, vvho was changed to a hog hy Ciroo. (Harris, in Amer. Journ. Sc. 

 and Art, v. 2, No. 30.) By our English collectors, these same insects have long been known under the name of 

 Elephant Ilawk-moths ; evidently from the resemblance which the front part of the body of the caterpillars bears 

 to the snout of tlie cleiiliant. In 1836 Mr. Duncan proposed for these insects the generic name Metopsilus, being 

 at the tinii' niiaw.arc of the step taken by the French author above mentioned. Long previously, however, 

 Hiihner had formed them into the second of his five divisions of the typical Sphingidaj*, under the name of 

 Eumorpha' ; which name having the priority I should have adopted, had it not been in use for an exotic genus 

 of beetles. Hiihner has formed each of our English species into a named section ; one of which, Daphnis, has 

 since been adopted by Mr. Curtis, in his British Entomology, for Sphin.x Nerii ; but if such a minute division be 

 adopted at all, the British Sphingidaj ought to be separated into nearly twenty genera. Sphinx Nerii, however 

 differs from the otiier Ciimroeainpaj in the very slender pal])i, whereas they are very broad in Elpenor. 



In adilition to tiie retractile structure of the front part of the body of the caterpillars, we find that instead of 

 having the sides of the body marked witli slender oblique bars, several of the segments (generally the fourth and 

 fifth) are marked with a large eye-like spot on each side. Thecaud.al horn is short and smooth, being sometimes 

 nearly obsolete. They form their cocoons of leaves on the surface of tlie ground. The pupa has not the tongue- 

 case exserted. The perfect insects have the antennte but slightly clav:ite, hooked at the tip, and terminated by a 

 setose bristle, and biciliated beneath in the males. The fore wings are very acute and almost hooked, in conse- 

 quence of a sinus along the hind margin; the spiral tongue is of moderate length. The abdomen is never 

 marked with transverse bars at the sides, hut is sometimes longitudinally striped ; and the hind wings are some- 

 what lobed at the anal angle. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE V. 



Insects.— Fig. 1. Chceiocampa Nerii (tlio Olc;;incler Hawk-moth). 2. Tlic Catfipillar. 3. The Chrysalis. 



Fig. 4. ChcErocampa Cclerio (the Sharp winged Hawk-moth). 5. Tlic Caterpillar. 6. The Chrysalis. 

 " Fig. 7. Cho:rocampa Elpenor (the Elephant Hawk-moth). 8. The Caterpillar. 



" Fig. 9. Choerocampa porcellus (the small Eleplwnt Hawk-moth). 10. The Caterpillar. 



Flints. — Fig. 11. Vinca major (the lesser Periwinkle). 



" Fig. 12. Epilohium hirsutum (the hairy \V'illow herb). 



" Fig. 13. Galimn verum (yellow Bed-straw). 



Chtcrocainpa Nerii being but very rarely taken in this country, I have not been able to make my drawing from a British specimen. The foreign 

 specimen from which it is taken is a very beautiful one from the neiglibourhood of Florence ; which, however, differs in no respect from the 

 individii.als that have been captured in EngLand, c.tcept in brightness of colouring, the green markings being particularly vivid and brilliant. 

 C. celerio is from a Teneriffe specimen, also in the British Museum, which differs slightly from Hiibncr's figure of a north of Entope specimen. 

 I have since seen in the collection of Mr. Doubleday a true British specimen, which corresponds in every respect with the Teneriffe insect which 

 I have figured, and from which I should infer that Hubner had not figured this insect with his usual accuracy. Chffirocampa Elpenor is from a 

 very fresh and perfect specimen taken at liayswater, in the possession of Miss A. Loudon ; and C. Porcellus is from a specimen in the British 

 Museum. The larvK and pupa; are all from Hubner and Godart. H. N. H. 



* Hiibner's four other groups arc — 



Si. 1.— Bombilije, composed of M.acroglossa and Sesia. i St. 4.— Manducai, composed of Sphinx an.l .\cherontia. 



St. 3.— Deilcphihc, " Dcilephila. | St. 5.— Smerinthi, " Su.erinthus. 



F.ach of these groups being divided into various named minor sections and sub-sectionf. 



