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57 



THYMELE ALVEOLUS. THE GRIZZLE SKIPPER BUTTERFLY. 



Plate XXXII. fig. l—n. 



Synonyms. 



Papilio Alveolus, Hubner. 

 Thymele Alveolus, Fahricius, Stephens. 

 Papilio Malvse, Lewin's Pap. pi. 46. f. i 

 Hesperia Malvse, Leach, Samouelle. 



Duncan Brit. Moths, fyc. pi. 1 . fig. 1 • 

 9. Haworth. Wilkes' Eng. Moths, ^c. pi. 104.? 



Upper Side. The whole fly is of a dark lead colour, speckled all over with small square 

 specks. The fringes are checkered with black and white. 



The under side is similar to the upper ; but the inferior wings are paler. 



Roesel says, the caterpillar is found on the common mallow, enclosed in a web ; that it lies 

 in chrysalis eleven days, and that the fly, when it appears from the chrysalis, produces blood from 

 the abdomen. The caterpillar is shewn at (n). The upper side of the fly is represented at (7), 

 and the under at (m). 



Expansion of the wings 10 — 14 lines. 



This species is common in the woods, commons, and meadows near London, as 

 well as in various parts of the kingdom. 



i 



SMERINTHUS POPULI. THE POPLAR HAWK-MOTH. 



Plate XXXIII. fig. a—g. 



Synonyms. Sphinx Populi, Linn. Syst. Nat. ii. 797. Donovan Brit. Ins. vol. vii. pi. 241. Albins 

 Ins. pi. 57. Wilkes' Eng. Moths, pi. 25. 

 Smerinthus Populi, Latreille, Stephens, Curtis. Duncan Brit. Moths, pi. 3. fig. 2. 



Upper Side, The antenna? are notched on the inner side. The superior wings are of a 

 purplish ash colour, clouded with olive colour : the tendons of the wings are light brown. On 

 the bar tendon is a white spot. The inferior wings are of a strong red near the abdomen. The 

 fan edges are all dentated. 



The under side is similar to the upper, but rather more on the purple. The upper side is 

 seen at (g) and (d), where it is sitting in its natural position. The under side is seen at (f). 



The caterpillar feeds on the poplar and willow. It proceeds from an egg of a green colour, 

 laid by the parent on the stalks of the food, as represented at (c). They are full fed in September, 

 as at (a) and (Z>), when they go into the ground and change into chrysalis, which is exactly repre- 

 sented at (e). The moths appear the beginning of May. 



Expansion of the wings 3 — 4| inches. 



This is one of the commonest species of hawk-moths found in this country ; it 

 is extremely sluggish in its motions, and its flight is heavy, having none of that 

 hawk-like motion so conspicuous in the rest of the family to which it belongs, its 

 mouth or spiral tongue being also very short and membranous, unfitting it for 

 probing the long tubular flowers which serve for the subsistence of its more active 

 brethren. 



I 



