THR YOUNG 



NATURA.LIST. 



285 



are dark next the body, then yellow, and 

 dark again at the feet. Spiracles yellow. 

 (This description is from larvae kindly sent 

 by Mr. G. T. Miller, of Gateshead-on-Tyne.) 



Pupa. — Dark redddish brown, of the 

 usual shape, but the portion enclosing the 

 proboscis is detached, and forms a sort of 

 beak about a quarter of an inch in length, 

 and folded down on the underside of the 

 pupa. 



Food Plant— Its natural food seems 

 to be Privet or Lilac, but Mr. Owen Wilson 

 gives the following in addition : — Holly, 

 Ash, Guelder-rose, Laurestinus, Portugal 

 Laurel, Spindle Tree (once by Mr. Bond), 

 Dogwood. Merrin gives several of these 

 and adds Evergreen-oak. 



Times of Appearance — The imago 



emerges towards the end of June, or a little 

 earlies, and may be found on the wing 

 through July. The eggs hatch in twelve or 

 fourteen days, and the larvas are full fed by 

 October. The pupae, which are subterranean, 

 remain over the winter. 



Habitat. — This species is tolerably 

 abundant in the south of England, but is 

 far from common towards the north ; it is, 

 however, of more frequent occurrence on 

 the north-west than the north-east of our 

 island. In this district (south-east Durham) 

 privet grows abundantly in some of the 

 limestone denes, but the insect has never 

 been found there. It is very rare in Scot- 

 land, perhaps only an accidental visitor ; it 

 is also rare in Ireland. Abroad it is well 

 distributed throughout Europe, but does 

 not reach the extreme north, occurring, 

 however, in Sweden, Finland, &c. It is 

 found in Asia Minor and in other parts of 

 Asia, reaching Siberia and the valley of 

 Amoor, but not extending to India. It is 

 also found in Northern Africa. It rests on 

 tree trunks or palings by day, and sometimes 

 comes to light, but is generally obtained by 

 breeding from the larva. 



Variation. — Ligustn is not by any 

 means a variable species. No specimen 

 has come under my observation that could 

 be spoken of as varying in any striking 

 manner. A distinctive name has, however, 

 been conferred upon one variety by Esper. 

 The form is said to be smaller and paler, 

 and is called Spiracece. I have no knowledge 

 of it whatever. 



Note. — Kirby, speaking of the larva, says 

 " Its attitude in repose has been thought to 

 resemble that of the Egyptian Sphinx, and 

 hence this name was first applied to the 

 larva, then to the moth, and subsequently 

 to the whole group of which it forms the 

 type." 



3. PINASTRI. 



Pine Hawk-moth. 

 " PiNASTRi, L., Pinas'tri, pinaster, a wild 

 pine, feeds on Pines." — A.L. 



Imago. — Expands about three inches, 

 generally rather less, but I have one speci- 

 men (European) that reaches three inches 

 and a half. Fore wings brownish or bluish 

 grey, varied by black streaks and brown 

 marks ; the brown markings generally form 

 two wavy bands from the costa to the inner 

 margin ; sometimes they are but narrow 

 lines, fringe white with regular black spots. 

 Hind wings brown, without bands ; fringe 

 white, interrupted with brown. Thorax 

 bluish grey, with a black mark on each side. 

 Abdomen black with narrow white rings in 

 front of each segment, a greyish band down 

 the centre of the upper side, with a narrow 

 black line down the centre. 



Larva. — Kirby describes it as being 

 green with white longitudinal lines, and an 

 irregular reddisii brown stripe on the back. 

 Stainton, translating from Duponchel, des- 

 cribes the lines as being citron yellow, rather 

 interrupted ; spiracles orange, edged with 

 black. Horn black and rough. The figure 

 given in Donoran ccxcvi. is copied from 

 Rocsel, and may bo described as green with 



