62 



THE YOUNG 



NATUEALIST. 



given, that will enable the beginner at once 

 to determine to which group the specimen 

 under examination belongs. Even a group 

 like the Sphingina, that can be defined with 

 tolerable strictness; and seems a perfectly 

 natural one, in the opinion of some authors 

 is not sufficiently distinct from the Bomby- 

 ciNA to be separated from them. But these 

 differences of opinion will be best referred 

 to under each group. The arrangement 

 proposed to be followed in these papers is 

 that of Dr. Staudinger's ; but when he 

 differs from English authors, the differences 

 will be named. It will be remembered that 

 in the first paper on butterflies it was point- 

 ed out that by the form of the antennae 

 Lepidoptera were divided as follows : — 



Rhopalocera. — Having clubbed antennae. 

 Heterocera, — Having antennae of various 

 forms, but never clubbed. 



The word Heterocera is derived from two 

 Greek words — Heteros, other, and cevos, a 

 horn. It means, therefore, having other 

 than clubbed horns, or, having horns of 

 varied form. 



The first group of Heterocera is called 



SPHINGINA. 



The Sphingina or Hawk Moths are easily 

 distinguished from the other groups by the 

 shape of the antennae, which differ from 

 those of all the others by being thickest in 

 the middle, tapering from the base, and 

 again to the tip. In the Zygenid^ this 

 nearly approaches the form of the antennas 

 of the Skippers (Hesperid^) among the j 

 butterflies. This and other affinities have 

 caused all writers to place the Skippers last 

 among the butterflies and the Sphinges first 

 among the moths. The true Sphinges 

 or Hawk Moths are generally of large size, 

 the Death's Head and others expanding 

 about five inches. The fore wings are long 

 and narrow ; the hind wings rather small, 

 and often more gaily coloured. The bodies 



stout and the abdomen generally pointed. 

 The antennae of moderate length, and in some 

 species hooked at the tip. Three British 

 species included in this family by Mr. Double- 

 day and Dr.Staudinger are separated by Mr. 

 Stainton and called Sesiid^. They are the 

 Humming Bird Hawk and the two Bee 

 Hawks (M. stellatarum fiiciformis and homby 

 liforniis ) . The larvae have always sixteen legs ; 

 are cylindrical, stout, and rather firm. Many 

 of them are covered with small warts, and 

 with one exception (C. ponellus) they have 

 all a horn projecting backwards on the anal 

 segment. Some of them are very beautifully 

 marked and coloured. The family is called 

 Sphingid^. 



The second family are insects of com- 

 paratively small size, few of them expanding 

 over one inch. The wings, which in form 

 resemble those of the Sphingida, are generally 

 void of scales, except along the costa and 

 hind margin, they are therefore called 

 " Clear Wings." The bodies are long and 

 slender, mostly black in colour, the segments 

 rather distinct and often banded with red 

 or yellow. There is also a distinct anal tuft 

 in most of the speties. The larvae have 

 sixteen legs like the last family, but they feed 

 internally in various trees, roots, &c., and 

 are whitish in colour and without an anal 

 horn. The family is called Sesid^. 



The third family are insects of moderate 

 size, expanding from an inch to an inch and 

 a half. The general shape of the wings 

 resembles those of the preceeding families, 

 rather long and narrow ; fore wings, green, 

 or greenish black with red spots or blotches ; 

 the hind wings are smaller and smoky, or 

 red with black border. The green ones are 

 called "Foresters," the others "Burnets." 

 The bodies are stoutish, more so in the 

 Burnets, the abdomen of which is very soft. 

 They are sluggish in their habits, and only 

 fly in the hot sun. The larvae also have 

 sixteen legs, are rather thick and very soft, 



