73 
LEPIDOPTERA. 
The first family, the Sphingina , or Sphinx moths, derives 
its name from a fanciful resemblance of some of the 
larvae to the famed sphinx of Egypt; the term Hawk- 
moths, by which they are also called, refers to the 
hawk-like swiftness of their flight. The Sphingina are 
at once to be known by the form of the antennae, which 
are thickest in the middle; in the other groups these 
organs are the thickest at the base, gradually tapering 
towards the tip. Most of these moths fly by night, or 
in the dusk of the evenings ; the beautiful and bold 
Humming-bird Moth ( Macroglossa stellatarum .), how¬ 
ever, flies by day and delights in the hot sunshine. 
These moths are of a large size, and are conspicuous for 
the beauty of their colouring; the larvae also of some 
of the species are prettily marked, being of a bright 
apple-green colour, with handsome lilac stripes. The 
curious Death’s-head Moth ( Aclierontia atropos ) belongs 
to this group. Other species are the Spurge Hawk- 
moth (. Deilephila Euphorbias ), very rare in this country, 
but occasionally abundant on the Continent, near the 
coast; the Eyed Hawk-moth ( Smerinthus ocellatus), 
the Poplar Hawk-moth {S. pop>uli) y the Lime Hawk (& 
tilias ), all of which are heavy fliers, unlike the Swift 
hawks of all the other species ; then there is the com¬ 
mon Privet Hawk {Sphinx ligustri ), the Elephant Hawk 
{Cheerocampa Elpenor), so called from the resemblance 
more or less fanciful of the head of the larva to the 
trunk of the elephant. It is an ugly creature, and has 
two eye-like spots on the fifth and sixth segments, which 
at first sight might be supposed to be really eyes. Some 
of the Hawks have very long tongues, even longer than 
their bodies, by means of which they can reach the 
