2e BRITISH MOTHS 



SPECIES 1.— SESIA FUCIFORMIS. THE BROAD-BORDERED BEE HAWK-MOTH. 



Phitc vi. fig. 7. 



Synonvmes.— A'/jAiiiJ /«ci/brmis, Linn. Fn. Su. No. 1092; i Sesiafuciformis, Varlh; Westwood, Entomol, Te.it Book, pi. 5, 



Haworlh ; Fabricius : Hiibncr ; Zcttcisteilt, {Macroff/ossa {.), Dono- fig. 2. 



v.in 3, pi. 87 ; Harris, Exposition, pi. Ki, f. 2 ; Diiucan, Urit. Moths, Macroglossa Bombyllformis, Ochsenhcimcr. 



p. 168 *. Scsia Botubylifnnnis, Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Eiit. t. 4, f. 21. 



I Cephanodes Bombi/liformis, HUbner, Verz. bek. Schmett. 



The fore wings iti tliis species measure about li inclics in expanse. They have a moderately large discoidal 

 transparent patch ; the base, fore margin, and broad hind margin greenish-brown ; the hind wings have also a 

 rather broad dark margin, the base and anal margin being also dark ; the transparent portion of the wings is 

 traversed by the black veins ; and in tiiis species there is a line of dark scales running along the middle of the 

 discoidal cell, and imitating a distinct vein. The body is of a yellowish ash-colour, a broad rich chesnut brown 

 fascia running across the middle of the abdomen, beyond which, on each side, are two patches of fulvous hairs ; 

 and the tail is almost entirely black. The antennas and spiral tongue are black, and the fore legs pale. 



The caterpillar is green, with a yellowish dorsal and lateral line, and occasionally with some reddish spots on 

 the sides. The tail is straight, of a dark brown colour, with the tip fulvous. It feeds on the honeysuckle 

 and yellow lady's bed-straw, &c. 



The perfect insect is not very uncommon at the end of May in damp open spaces in woods of the south of 

 England; it does not, however, appear to be found farther north than York. It delights to fly in the sunshine, 

 extracting the nectar from the flowers of the hare-bell. 



Entomologists are at variance respecting the identity of this species with the Linntean Sphinx fuciformis, 

 Mr. Stephens adopting the opinion of Oclisenheimer tliat it is not identical therewith. I think, however, that 

 the Linnffian description " abdomen cingulo nigro, barba latcrali pone cingulum albida," sufliciently identi- 

 fies it with the Linna'an description t. 



Jlr. E. Doiibleday has shown me a specimen of this insect taken immediately after emerging from the 

 chrysalis, in which the transparent portions of the wing are rather closely clothed with broad dark scale.s, 

 which evidently become abraded with the slightest touch. The same circumstance also occurs in the small clear 

 winged hawk-moths, as mentioned below. 



SPECIES 2.— SESIA BOMBYLIFORMIS. THE NARROW-BORDERED BEE HAWK-MOTH. 



Plate vi. fig. 4—6. 



SvNoNYMEs. — Sphinx 2?owj/'jy///b?-mi5,Espcr, Borkhauscu,Schraiik, 

 H.^worth. 



Sesia Bomhyliformis, Fabricius ; Curtis, Brit. Ent. 1, pi. 41) ; 

 Duncan, Brit. Moths, p. 170. 



jMacroglossa Bomhyliformis^ Zctterstedt. 

 J\lacroglossa fuciformis, Ochseuheimer. 

 Sesia fucifonuis, Stejiliens ; Wood, Ind. Ent. t. 4, f. 22. 

 Cephanodes fuciformis, Ilubner, Verz. bck. Schm. 



The fore wings in this species are broader, and not so much attenuated at tlie tip as in the preceding species ; 

 their expansion is consequently somewhat less. They are further distinguished by the very narroio dark margin 



* The figures of this and the next species are confused in plate 12 of this work. Altliougli botli are bad, tig. 4 is certainly intended for the 

 ftrood-bordered .species, and fig. 3 for the ?iarrow-bordcred bee hawk-moth, although lettered otherwise. 



t Since the above was written, I have inspected the Linna'n Cabinet, and find my conjectures confii-med, a specimen of the broad-bordered 

 bee hawk-moth, pinned with a genuine round-headed Linnaean pin, being attached to the label inscribed fuciformis, by LinnKus himself. A 

 specimen of the n:;rrow.bordered species is however placed by its side, but it is pinned with a dittereut kind of pin. 



