3242 Insects. 



brown, with two short and thick black dashes above, and streaked on the sides with 

 brown, more or less dark. Mandibles shining brown. Horn black, and slightly gra- 

 nulated. Thoracic legs very pale straw-colour, and slightly tipped with light brown. 

 Prolegs dull pinkish yellow, with two gray patches on each. Escutcheon dark shin- 

 ing brown, traversed by the four dorsal and longitudinal lines, which appear of a pale 

 buff colour. Found in August and September on Abies excelsa and Pinus sylvestris. 

 Sphinx Ligustri. — Caterpillar elongated, smooth, of a brightly transparent green co- 

 lour ; seven oblique stripes on either side, from the 4th to the 10th segment, of which 

 the anterior half is of a fine lilach, and the posterior half pure white, at the lower ex- 

 tremity of each of which is a succession of four or five small white spots. Horn light 

 amber or grayish yellow, with a brown streak above, and slightly tipped with the same 

 colour ; sometimes it is of a light amber colour, with a deep black streak above, ex- 

 tending to the top, and having below a similar streak meeting it at the tip, but nar- 

 rower. Stigmata pale orange. Head green, with a broad stripe on either side thereof, 

 generally of a dark brown colour, but sometimes pale brown. Mandibles brown. Tho- 

 racic legs very pale flesh-colour, tipped with brown or black, and sometimes ringed 

 with the same colour. Prolegs green, tipped with gray, and a small violet patch on 

 each. Abdomen green. When in a state of repose, the larva generally contracts the 

 three anterior segments and draws in its head, and at the same time they are raised 

 in a singular position ; the thoracic legs are then drawn together under the head. In 

 the months of July, August and September, on Ligustrum vulgare, Syringa Persica, 

 S. vulgaris, Viburnum Opulus and V. Opulus roseum. Sphinx Convolvuli. — Cater- 

 pillar elongated. Head round. Anal horn curved backwards. Body wrinkled trans- 

 versely. Colour extremely variable. Thoracic legs shining black. Stigmata black, 

 with the interior orange-red, (lined with orange-red). The head has generally six 

 broad, black, transversal stripes, three on either side, of which four only are generally 

 visible, the other two are only to be seen when the head is stretched out ; and two 

 other black lines in the middle, meeting above so as to form a triangle. Mandibles 

 black. Palpi whitish. The colour of the abdomen and membranous legs varies ac- 

 cording to that of the body. The horn, in the dark individuals, is black and shining, 

 but in the green ones it is generally reddish brown striped with black. Escutcheon 

 small, and shining brown or green. In the colour and markings they vary very much, 

 some are green, others gray, brown, &c. Some with oblique lateral stripes, others with 

 longitudinal series of spots or patches, &c. Found during the months of July and 

 August and beginning of September, on bindweeds, as Convolvulus sepium and arven- 

 sis. Dusky varieties. — Dark olive-brown, more or less speckled with buflf; a broad 

 milk-white lateral line streaked with brown ; two series of brownish yellow spots down 

 the back, and two brownish yellow stripes on the anterior segment, in a line with them, 

 more or less spotted with brownish yellow down the middle of the back. Green varie- 

 ties. — These are generally of a light yellowish green ground colour, some however are 

 of a dark green. Generally with two series of black spots down the back, varying in 

 size in different individuals ; sometimes almost obsolete, sometimes joining one ano- 

 ther, and thus forming two lines down the back, which sometimes are so broad as to 

 join one another, then forming a very broad dorsal line ; there are nearly always seven 

 oblique pale yellowish green stripes on either side, and sometimes one or two lateral 

 rows of black spots, more or less distinct. Sometimes the oblique lateral stripes are 

 more or less bordered by black. To the genus Acherontia belongs alone the well- 

 known A. Atropos. The caterpillar is so well known in Europe that I scarcely need 



