jj J BRITISH MOTHS 



SPHECIA, HuBNER. 



(, Trochilium, Stephens, Curtis ; Aigeria, Newman ; Trochilium, p., Scopoli ; JEgeria, p., F.ibiicius ; Sesia, p., Ochsenheimei-, Godart.) 



This "enus is at onco distinguished from the rest of the family by the larger size of the species of which it 

 is composed. The abdomen is very robust and thickened, and destitute of a fan-tail (except a very minute one 

 in the males) ; the sjiiral tongue is very short aud almost rudimental ; the palpi are moderately long, but curved 

 obliquely upwards ; the antennre are rather short and thick, and pectinated in the males. To these characters 

 must be added the diversity in the habits of the perfect insects already noticed in our observations upon the 

 family. Notwithstanding tlicse differences (which repose both upon structure and economy) the Hornet 

 moths are still united into a single genus with the rest of the family, by most of the French and German writers. 

 Hvibner was the iirst author who separated them from the smaller species, imder the excellent name employed 

 above ; given in allusion to their wasp-like appearance. Mr. Stephens, however, gave them the name of 

 Trochilium, wjiich Scpoli had used for the entire family. As, however, Scopoli alludes in his generic character to 

 the tufted abdomen of most of the species, it is evident that he did not regard these insects as its types ; his name 

 Trochilium, proposed in allusion to the humming-bird, being moreover applicable only to the smaller species. 

 Fabricius, again, placed the hornet moth, S. apiformis, at the head of his genus jEgeria ; but it is evident that he 

 did not derive his character therefrom, as he expressly says that the palpi are projecting, which is the character 

 of the smaller, species. I\Ir. Newman, notwithstanding this, reverses the nomenclature of the two groups as 

 .adopted by Stepliens and Curtis, calling the hornet moths, TEgeria, and the currant moth, &c., Trochilium ; 

 although in the ch.aracter of his genera (Ent. Mag. 1, p. 73), he indicates the distinction in the palpi 

 as of primary importance. In doing this, he was actuated by the consideration that the hornet moths were the 

 types of the family ; observing, " when the septenary system is thus reduced to units, as I may say, I find the 

 largest species* is invariably the type or centre." I however ask any unprejudiced entomologist, whether the 

 hornet moths can be considered as pre-eminently exhibiting the characters of the family, which, as expressed by 

 almost every species, consist in the great activity of the insects, their elegant forms and tufted tails. The hornet 

 moths, in fact, have precisely as little claim to be considered as the typos of this family, as the death's-head moth 

 has to be regarded as the prominent type of the Sphingidfe. Mr. Stephens, by his observation that the hornet 

 moths approach in habit to the Bomljycida?, has clearly shown their aberrant character. 



There are two British species of this genus, the synonymes of which have been greatly confused. 



SPECIES 1.— SPHECIA APIFORMIS. THE HORNET MOTH. 



Plate vii. fig. 2 and IG. 



SvNONTMES. — Sphinx apiformis, Linnsus, Donovan, vol. 1, pi. 25; 

 Lewin, in Linn. Trans., vol. 3, pi. 3, fig. 1 — 5 ; Harris, Exposition, 

 ])1. 3, f. 7 ; Ilaworlh. 



.Vesta apiformis, Fabricius, Las]>cyres, Godart, Ochseaheinier, 

 Zcttcrstedt, Dalman, (Zvga'n. Suec.) 



jEgeria apiformis, Fabricius, Newman. 



Trochilium apiformis, Scopoli ; Stephens; Curtis, Brit. Ent., pi. 

 372, fig. * * i Wood, lud. Ent., t. 4, f. 23 ; Duncan, Brit. Moths, pi. 

 13, fig. 1. 



Sphecia apiformis, Ilubncr. 



Sphiiuv crabroniformis, Wicn. Vcrz. ; Iliibn. Spbin.\-, pi. 8, fig. 

 51 ; Ernst. 



Tliis fine species varies in the expansion of its fore wings from 19 to 22 lines, and is at once distinguished from 



Gigantic size, in fact, appears to me to constitute aberration rather than typicality. 



