202 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



Moths," p. 88 (1895); Tutt, "Brit. Moths," p. 27(1896) ; Bartel, " Palseark. 

 Gross-Schmett.," ii., p. 79 (1899). Celerio, Oken, " Lehrb. Zool.," i., p. 761 

 (1815). Dilephila, Hmpsn., " Ind. Moths," i., p. 98 (1892); Kirby, "Hand- 

 book," &c, iv., p. 32 '(1897). 



This genus, as here restricted, is very closely allied 10 Celerio, 

 Oken, and was founded by Hiibner as a heterotypical genus for 

 the species included in these and the allied genera. Hiibnei's original 

 diagnosis reads ( Verz., p. 137) as follows : 



The forewings on the costa with cloudy spots ; the body at the sides adorned 

 with black and white cube-shaped spots — Hyles galii, Schiff., H. opheltes, Cram., 

 H. zygophylli, Ochs., H, hippophaes, Esp., H. nicaea, Prun., H. euphorbiae, 

 Schiff. 



Stephens, in his ' application of the Hiibnerian names to the 

 British species (List of the Specimens of British Animals in the Collec- 

 tion of the Brit. Museum, v., p. 28) notes euphorbiae and gallii as 

 belonging to this genus, but it was not until the publication of 

 vol. Hi of this work (anted, iii., p. 355) that euphorbiae was formally 

 constituted the type. Kaye's diagnosis (in litt.J of the limited genus 

 reads as follows : 



Head closely set on shoulders, eyes not large (except in tropical races). Fore- 

 tibiae with spines weak and almost uniform size. Forewing with costa very slightly 

 curved at base, straight to origin of nervure 7, then sharply curved to apex ; hind 

 margin evenly curved to termen (in exotic races, slightly excised immediately below 

 apex) inner margin slightly curved upwards for half length of wing. Nervure 5 from 

 considerably nearer 4 than 6 ; 9 given oft from about three-fourths length of cell. 

 Hindwing short, apex bluntly pointed in <$ , almost rounded in ? . Costa evenly 

 and boldly curved to apex. Inner margin evenly curved to nervure 3, strongly excurved 

 to nervure lb and straight to anal angle. Nervure 8 curved almost evenly from 

 base ; 5 nearer 6 than 4 ; 6, 7 from upper angle ; 3 from very close to 4. Disco- 

 cellular variable from flat to strongly S-curved. Forewing with a more or less well- 

 defined fascia ; very broad at inner margin, with a dark discoidal blotch which nearly 

 always lies within the fascia — Hyles (type euphorbiae). 



We have, of course, only one species, euphorbiae, in this genus, 

 with a shadow of a claim to be considered British ; this species 

 appears to be no longer sedentary in the British Islands. 



Hyles euphorbiae, Linne. 



Synonymy. — Species : Euphorbiae, Linn., " Syst. Nat.," xth ed., p. 492 

 (1758); xiith ed., p. 802 (1767); "Faun. Suec," 2nd ed., p. 287 (1761), &c. 

 Esulae, Hfn., " Berl. Mag.," ii., p. 180 (1766); Rott., "Naturf.," vii., p. 105 

 (1775) Galii, Haw., "Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond.," 1807, pt. 1, p. 99, pi. iv 

 (1807;. [Note. — This species has not been known, except in the works of 

 Hufnagel and von Rottemburg, already quoted, by any other specific name from 

 the time of Linne. The older British authors {e.g., Haworth), confused it and C. 

 gallii. All other references made under the generic synonymy Hyles (antea, p. 

 201) are referable to euphorbiae. ~\ 



Original description *. — Sphinx euphorbiae, alis integris fuscis ; 

 vitta superioribus flava ; inferioribus purpurascente. Fn. Suec, 1356. 

 Reaum., Ins., i., t. 13, f. 4-7. Roes., Ins., i., phal. i., t. 3. Frisch, 



* Linne's description of this species is most unsatisfactory. His references are 

 as follows : (1) Reaum., " Mem.," i., pi. xiii., figs. 4-7 — These figures and Reaumur's 

 excellent description refer solely to H. euphorbiae. (2) Roesel, " Ins.," i., phal. 

 i., t. 3 — These figures refer to //. euphorbiae. (3) Frisch, "Ins.," 2, t. 11, f. 7 — 

 This plate certainly refers to //. euphorbiae, and fig. 3, which is sometimes queried, 

 is also the larva of H. euphorbiae ; it has a double row of spots. De Greer, "Ins.," 

 i., t. 8, f. 6-1 1— These figures refer to C. gallii. Uddm., "Diss.," 28, 57 — 

 Possibly euphorbiae. In the face of so unsatisfactory a description as that of 

 Linne, and such a mixture of references, one can only suggest that euphorbiae should 

 stand for the well-known " Wolfsrhilch or Euphorbia " species. 



