INTRODUCTION. 23 



insect has short wings, and the abdomen is terminated by a broad or depressed brush- 

 like appendage : in the latter group, Fam. F., the wings are transparent. The 

 typical genera are Macroglossum, Scop., and Sesia, Latr. 



Thirdly : a larva with a head almost triangular and acuminate above ; the body 

 obliquely striated, generally with yellow, naked and somewhat rugose : the abdo- 

 minal horn of moderate size (smooth), generally marked with a peculiar colour. 

 The perfect insect of this division is strikingly distinguished by its angulated of 

 excavated wings. It constitutes the Fam. A of the Vienna Catalogue, p. 40 and 41. 

 Larvce acrocephalce, Spitzkopfraupen ; and the perfect insect the Sphinges angulatce. 

 Typical genus, Smerinthus. 



Fourthly : a larva with an ovate truncated head, nearly naked and even on the 

 surface ; the abdominal horn lengthened, tuberculated, curved. The perfect insect 

 has entire lanceolate wings ; the abdomen is marked with oblique lateral strias. It con- 

 stitutes the Fam. B of the Vienna Catalogue, p. 41. Larvce amblocephalce, Stumpfkopf- 

 raupen, and the perfect insect the Sphinges fasciatce. Typical genus Acherontia : 

 species A, Atropos. 



Fifthly .- a larva with a small globose head, pale lateral spots on the sides of the 

 body, or large ocelli behind the head, mostly with brilliant colours ; abdominal horn 

 generally simple. The pupa covers itself loosely with leaves. It comprises, as far 

 as I have been able to determine, the Families C and D of the Vienna Catalogue, p. 

 42 and 43. In the former, larvce maculatce, Flec/ceraupen, the perfect insects Sphinges 

 semijasciafce, have the abdomen marked anteriorly with abbreviated fascia? ; in the 

 latter, larvce ophthalmicce, Augenraupen, the perfect insects, Sphinges caudacutce, the 

 abdomen is very acute. Typical genera, Sphinx, Ochsenh. (in part) ; Deilephila, 

 Ochsenh. (in part). 



These divisions do not embrace the genus Aegeria, and several other genera, com- 

 monly arranged among the Sphingidce : which, if my observations are correct, have 

 a different metamorphosis, and will probably, at least in part, find a place in the next 

 tribe ; but this remains for future discussion. 



In the tribe of Sphingidce the division is comparatively plain and obvious from 

 various causes. The group itself is not very extensive, and being almost equally 

 .distributed through the temperate climes of Europe and through tropical countries, 

 its metamorphosis is, comparatively, well understood. The divisions are therefore 

 clearly determined, in the families of the Wiener Verzeichnis, and I have found them 

 to apply so accurately to the results obtained with my own materials, that I have 

 adopted them, with a few slight modifications which are obvious at first sight. But 

 in the remaining tribes the metamorphosis is as yet not so perfectly known, at least in 

 tropical countries : the divisions are moreover very extensive, the affinities very com- 

 plicated, 



