SMERINTHUS. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Tongue very short; antennae serrate; palpi 

 contiguous, short, terminal joint tuberculiform, 

 very short ; anterior wings angulated ; anus 

 simple. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Latreille constructed this genus to receive 

 such Linnaean Sphinges as have a very short or 

 indistinct tongue. The species, although closely 

 allied to those of the genus from which they 

 were separated, are yet distinguishable by their 

 form of body and habits of life. They are short, 

 robust, and generally remarkable by a hand- 

 some display of colours. They are never seen 

 to shoot, like meteors through the air, from 

 flower to flower, balancing the body at each, in 

 order to extract sweets from the nectary, but, 

 unlike the Sphinx and Humming-bird, their 

 flight is heavy and reluctant, and they receive 

 food only in the state of repose. 



PLATE XII. L, 



