MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
213 
CHECK LIST MICHIGAN LEPIDOPTEEA. 
II. SPHIN 01 DAE (HAWK MOTHS.) 1 
BY W. W. NEWCOMB. 
The species of hawk-moths listed below are probably all which 
naturally occur in the state, either as breeders or rather common visi- 
tors. There are doubtless a few others which occasionally stray across 
our borders from the south, but such species cannot be regarded as 
regularly breeding here, even though they may do so at times. It is 
largely in these “southern strays” that additions to our list may be 
expected. 
The writer has personally observed and collected all of the species 
listed. Three forms are known only in single examples, two of which 
belong to the “southern strays,” — one, Cocytius cluentius, occurring in 
Mexico, and the other, Theretra tersa, common in the southern states. 
Tlie occurrence of Cocytius cluentius in southern Michigan is remarkable, 
' only one other instance of its presence in the United States having been 
recorded, and well illustrates the extraordinary powers of flight of 
some members of the sphinx family. The third species known only in 
a single individual, Deiclamia inscription, undoubtedly breeds here, as 
its food-plants, grape and Virginia Creeper, are common. Among the 
rarer species of Michigan Sphingidae, should be noted particularly 
Sphecodina abbottii and Gressonia juglandis. 
Hoy 2 in his “Catalogue of Wisconsin Lepidoptera” gives the names of 
at least seven species of hawk-moths which have not yet been recorded 
from Michigan. Of these, four belong to the “southern strays.” As 
the southern border of Michigan is some fifty or sixty miles farther 
south Ilian the southern border of Wisconsin, it might be supposed that 
we should have as many of these “southern strays” as Wisconsin, but 
it should be noted, as Hoy says, that the territory which lies to the 
west of the Great Lakes enjoys much warmer summers than the ter- 
ritory in the same latitude which lies to the east of them. 
One species which almost certainly occurs in the state, but for which 
there is no definite record as yet, is the tobacco sphinx, Phlegethontius 
Carolina. Possible other additions to our list include Lepisesia 
/la rofascia ta Wlk., Sphinx luscitiosa Clem, and S. plcbcia Fa hr.. Lapara 
bombycoidcs Wlk. and L. coniferaru/m S. & A. To these might be 
added the names of five or six southern species which occasionally find 
their way to the northern states, but this would not, in the writer's 
opinion, be justified. 
’Prepared for the Michigan Geological and Biological Survey and published with the per- 
mission of the Chief Naturalist. 
2 P. E. Hoy, A Catalogue of Wisconsin Lepidoptera, Geological Survey of Wisconsin, Vol. 
1, p. 40S. 
