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XI. Revision of the Heterocerous Lepidoptera of the family Sphingidae. By Arthur 

 Gardiner Butler, F.L.S., F.Z.S., <&c, Senior Assistant, Z.ological Department, 

 British Museum. 



Read April Gth, 1875. 



[Plates XC.-XOIV.] 



J. HE extensive group of moths composing the family Sphingidae has always been a 

 favourite one, not only with Lepidopterists, but with all lovers of nature ; its represen- 

 tatives surpass most of the other families of Heterocera in size, whilst in their speed and 

 long-sustained flights they are equalled by no other group with which I am acquainted. 



The highly specialized condition of some of the structural characters in this family 

 has from time to time aroused a special interest in them: thus the complete resem- 

 blance which most of the Macroglossince bear to humming-birds, owing to the remark- 

 able expanded anal tuft and their habit of poising over a flower whilst sucking the 

 nectar through their long outstretched proboscides, have rendered them objects of peculiar 

 attraction to the uninitiated, many of whom fancy them to be true humming-birds, 

 and refuse to be convinced of their error. In the 'Naturalist on the Amazons' (vol. i. 

 pp. 181-183), Mr. Bates tells us that the natives firmly believe that the moth changes 

 into the bird just as the caterpillar into the moth ; the resemblance between Aellopus 

 titan and a humming-bird is so complete when upon the wing that he himself on several 

 occasions shot the former in mistake for the latter. The Chcerocamphiw are chiefly re- 

 markable for their power of long sustained flight ; there is, however, nothing extraordi- 

 nary in their appearance in the perfect state; the Ambulicince and some genera of the 

 Chcerocampince have the anal segment of the abdomen in the males expanded at the 

 sides, giving them somewhat the aspect of Macroglossince in this respect; the Smcrin- 

 thince are often brilliantly coloured, and the antennae of the males are pectinated, much 

 as in some genera of the Bombyciclce. The remarkable genus of Smerinthince, Lopho- 

 stethus, has the spines on the tibiae marvellously developed. The object of these spines 

 has yet to be discovered ; I can only suppose that the larva undergoes its change to 

 the pupa-state in very hard earth, and thus it becomes necessary for the moth to be 

 provided with powerful weapons in order to effect its escape. 



The Acherontiince have attracted much attention on account of then peculiar colora- 

 tion, which has given rise to their popular name of Death's-head Moths; they possess 



vol. ix.— part x. No. 1.— October, 1876. 3 z 



