22 BRITISH MOTHS 



tTey, with black lines ; the fore edges white, margined with black ; a whitish stripe extending from the inner 

 marifin near the base, and extending to the tip of the wings ; another white streak on the disc, where there is 

 also a black spot edged with ochre ; the outer margin of the wing is pale grey, with a dark lunulated stripe 

 runniniT near the edge. The hind wings are dark rose-coloured at tlie base, succeeded by a broad black bar, 

 wliicii does not extend to the anal margin ; this is followed by a rosy bar, separated into patches by the dark 

 veins, and followed by a narrow black waved bar, the margin of the wing being greyish. The body is brownish- 

 grey, with two ashy-white lines extending from the front of the head to the base of the wings. The remainder 

 of the thorax is dark ashy-coloured, with a whitish stripe on each side, and two yellow dorsal ones ; another 

 slender stripe of a silvery-white colour along the back of the abdomen, on each side of which there is, moreover, a 

 row of whitish spots. 



The c.iterjjillar is generally of a brown colour, with two yellow lines on each side, the upper one commencing 

 at the sixth segment and terminating at the base of the tail, and the lower one formed of a row of lunules placed 

 above the spiracles ; the fourth and fifth segments are ornamented at the sides with a large eye-like spot, edged 

 with a slender yellow iris. Its ordinary food is the common vine, but it also feeds on the yellow lady's-bedstraw 

 (Galium verum). 



This species is extremely rare in this country, although it has occurred both in the larva and perfect state in 

 various jiarts of the country; near London, near Eltham in Kent, Wisbeach. Norwich, in the Isle of Ely, near 

 Oxford, Birmingham, and Manchester. It is also rare on the Continent, except in the southern part, where, as 

 well as in the island of Teneriffe, and the Cape of Good Hope, it is abundant. The caterpillar is full-fed at the 

 end of July or beginning of August, and sometimes the moth appears shortly afterwards ; although occasionally 

 it is not produced till the following summer. The perfect insect has been found in July and August. 



Sphinx argentata, Haworth, is a species allied to Celerio, of which one or two specimens were preserved 

 in old cabinets (jirobably ])laccd there by mistake for the latter species), and which is considered by Mr. Stephens 

 to have no claim to the rank of a native species ; indeed, it is completely omitted by Mr. Curtis. It is nearly 

 three inches in expanse. The fore wings grey, unspotted, with a straight oblique whitish bar, and several 

 nearly obsolete brown streaks ; and the hind wings brown, with a pale ochreous streak at the anal angle. It is 

 probably synonymous with Sph. Celaeno of Esper, and is figured by Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 53, f. 28. 



SPECIES 3.— CHfEROCAMPA ELPENOR. THE ELEPHANT HAWK-MOTH. 



Plate V. fij. 7— 8. 



Synonymfs. — Spfiin.r Elpenor, Linnaeus; Haworth; Donovan, 

 vol. 4, pi. 122; Samoucllc, Comp. pi. 6, f. 2; Harris, Aurelian, 

 pi. 7, fig. a— h : Wilkes, pi. 26. 



Deilephila Elpenor, Ochsenheinier ; Curtis ; Wood, Ind. Ent. t. 

 4, f. IS. 



Metopsilits E/peiwr, Duncan, Brit. Mntlis, pi. 11, fig. 1. 

 Oreiis Elpenor, Hiibncr, Verz. bek. Sclimett. 



This rather conmion species has the wings of an olive colour, with tlie fore edge, a spot at the base, two 

 oblique fascite, and the outer margin of the fore wings, of a purplish red ; the hind wings have also the hinder 

 margin of the same colour, and the base blackish ; whilst the fore ones liave a small discoidal dot, and the hinder 

 margin whitish. The antennse, thorax, and abd(jmen, are olive- coloured ; the palpi and four rather curved lines 

 on the thorax, and a line down the abdomen, purplish-red. The sides of the thorax are white. The abdomen 



