u BRITISH MOTHS 



o 



than the females ; others are very pale, and Mr. Curtis mentions a variety in which the hind wings are destitute 



of the brick-red patch. 



The catcrpilhir is pale green, very much shagrecncd with minute white tubercles, and having a whitish or pale- 

 yellow line on the anterior segments, and an oblique cue of similar colour upon each of the succeeding segments^ 

 the last of which terminates at the base of the tail. The spiracles and membranous feet are pale red, and 

 frequently each segment is ornamented with a large red spot, and the sides of the head with a narrow yellow 

 line, which meet upon the crown. 



The caterpillar is found at the beginning of the autumn, and feeds on the willow, poplar, and aspen. It goes 

 underf^round to assume the chrysalis state, which is of a dull-brown colour. Tlie moth appears at the end of 

 June, the middle of August, and even in September ; in the latter case, the specimens have undergone pupation 

 rather earlier than usiKil, whereas the majority pass that state in the vi-intcr. 



This species is, perhaps, the most abundant of our British Sphingidie. It occurs throughout England and 

 the south of Scotland. It is perhaps on this account that so many instances of gynandromorphism have been 

 observed in individuals of this species, in some of which the wings and antenna; on the right side are male, and 

 those on the left female, as perfectly as if a male and female had been divided lengthways, and the halves of 

 the opposite sexes united. 



Sl'ECIES 3.— SMERINTHUS TILI^.. THE LIME HAWK-MOTH. 



Plate i. fig. 7-9. 

 Sysonvmes. — Sphinx Tilite, Linn.-ras ; Ilawortb ; Donovan, vol, , Smerivlhus TiKce, Latreillc, Stephens, Wood, Ind. Ent. t. 4, f. 8. 

 10. pi. 325. Albin, [d. 10. Wilkes, pi. "23. Harris, Aurclian, pi. Dunean, Brit. Butt. pi. -4, f. 1. 

 20, fig. a g. Sepp. Ins. V. 1, 2, t. 6. I il/i(ii«s yi/iie, Hiibner (Verz. liek. Sclim.) 



This h.andsonie species varies from rather more than two to about three inches in the expanse of the wings, 

 of which the anterior have the base and disc of a greyish or rosy grey, the centre being marked with a broad bar 

 formed of two large olive-brown patches ; the extremity of the wing is broadly olivaceous, the apex of the 

 anterior margin being marked with a wliite or pale buff angulated spot ; the hind wings are reddish grey, having 

 broad oblique dull-brown bar towards the outer margin, which terminates in a gradually-blackened spot at the 

 anal angle : the fore wings have the apical margin deeply and irregularly incised ; and there is a deep scollop 

 near the anal angle of the hind wings ; the body is whitish brown or ash-coloured, the thorax having three 

 olivaceous stripes, which meet on the neck. There are several varieties, not only in the ground colour of the 

 wings, but in the size and form of the discoidal patches ; and specimens occasionally occur with markings on 

 the opposite wings dissimilar. 



The cateriiillar is granulated, and attenuated in front ; of a green colour, with several oblique whitish 

 stripes on each side, margined with reddish or yellow in front ; the tail is of moderate length, and there is a 

 granular protuberance over the anus ; the head, also, is comparatively small. The chrysalis is reddish brown 

 and rough ; it is found underground. 



This species is found in the neighbourhood of lime-trees and elms, upon which the caterpillar chiefly feeds ; 

 it is, however, occasionally found on the alder, birch, and oak, appearing in this state at the end of the summer, 

 and the moth coming forth in the following May, but sometimes not until July and August. 



Il is comparatively rare ; although not unfrequcntly found near London : it seems, however, to become very 

 uncommon in the north of England, and not to occur at all in Scotland. 



