

eens 
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BRITISH MOTHS 
6 
al of the symbol which Nature designed it to be” in the figure of the human skull, the emblem of 
“sion and se | 
“ threatening attitudes” of the caterpillars, and the great depth at which they 
death and of the grave; whilst the : 
bury themselves in order to become chrysalides (on the way to the infernal regions), form additional claims to the 
pre-eminental evil character of the family! We may admire the skill with which this author seizes upon these 
arious circumstances in support of his theory; but we cannot admit the Sphinx Atropos to be the type of the 
and that 
Vv 
. . . = . o A o 
family, and consequently we must consider the new generic name given to this insect as an-advantage, 
the name Sphinx has been correctly retained for the species which represent the family much more naturally than 
if can be considered as doing. 
I therefore place the typical genus Sphinx in the middle of the family which is commenced and terminated 
by less typical species, which exhibit the characters of, and thus point the way to, other groups. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE I. 
Insects.—Fig. 1. Smerinthus Ocellatus (the eyed Hawk-moth). 2. The Caterpillar. 3, The Chrysalis. 
e Fig. 4. Smerinthus Populi (the poplar Hawk-moth). 5. The Caterpillar. 6. The Chrysalis. 
af Fig. 7. Smerinthus Tilie (the lime Hawk-moth). 8. The Caterpillar. 9. The Chrysalis. 
ae Fig. 10. A hybrid between Smerinthus Ocellatus and Smerinthus Populi. 
Prants.—Fig. 11. Pyrus malus (the wild apple, or crab-tree). 
ee Fig. 12. Tilia Europza (the lime). 
= Fig. 13. Populus nigra (the black poplar). 
The insects in this plate are all from fine specimens in the British Museum. Smerinthus Populiis from a remarkably fine female specimen, 
which I selected for its size and perfect preservation ; it is lighter in colour than most males, the dark markings of which are generally stronger 
and less inclined to tawny. The caterpillar and chrysalis are from Godart'and Hiibner. H. N. H. 
GENUS I. 
SMERINTHUS, Larreniz. (LAOTHOER, F'apricius). 
This is a very distinct and natural group, distinguished by the very sluggish habits of the perfect insect, in 
which the body is short, stout, and conical, the wings moderately long, the anterior angulated or dentated along 
the outer margin; when at rest they form a triangle; the posterior pair projecting beyond the sides of the upper. 
The spiral tongue is exceedingly short, being in fact scarcely longer than the palpi, so that the insect is obliged to 
settle upon flowers to take what little nourishment it requires. The antenne are but slightly prismatic, being 
serrated, or rather strongly setose, in the males, whilst in the females they are slender and scaly. The apex does 
not terminate in a feathered seta. The caterpillars are distinguished at once by their granulated appearance, the 
entire surface of the body being covered with minute tubercles, arranged in transverse series. The head is also of 
a conical, or heart-shaped form, the point being upwards; the body is terminated above by a nearly straight 
horn ; they enter the ground to undergo the pupa state, which is rough and conical, terminated by an acute point, 
the head cap being destitute of the prominent tubular case containing the proboscis, which is in fact too short to 
require any such defence. The flight of the perfect insects is quite unlike that of the typical Sphingidz, being 
slow and heavy, like that of the Bombycide. 
