
AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 13 
The head is ash-coloured, with the spiral tongue extremely long, the eyes very large, the thorax dark ash-coloured, 
with obscure black streaks, the scutellum is bordered on each side with a black crescent, the abdomen is also 
dusky-ash ; the sides of each of the four basal segments are ornamented with a rosy bar, preceded by a white bar 
at the base, and succeeded by the black edge of each segment ; these colours being interrupted in the middle of 
the back, the sixth segment is destitute of the rosy colour, The feet are ash-coloured, with whitish rings. The 
antennz and underside of the body are of a dirty-white colour, the latter with two black patches in the middle 
of the abdomen. The colours of the wings vary in being much darker, ashy, clouded with black, and in the rosy 
patches at the sides of the abdominal segments being brighter coloured. This is considered by Mr. Haworth as 
indicating a diversity in the sex of such specimens; and Mr, Stephens states that the female differs in having the 
fore wings less clouded, and the posterior of a darker colour. 
_The caterpillar varies greatly in its colours, being, however, generally green, spotted with black, and with 
yellow oblique stripes in the side ; it is, however, sometimes entirely brown, with the back darker (probably when 
about to undergo its transformations), and sometimes the stripes at the sides are black. The spiracles are either 
pink or black, and the caudal horn is dark coloured. It usually feeds on the species of bindweed, especially 
Convolvulus Sepium ; and is to be found towards the end of the summer. It, however, conceals itself during the 
day, and enters the earth, where it also becomes a rich brown pupa, with the tongue-case long and curved, about 
the end of July, the moth appearing in September and October. Occasionally, however, the moth does not 
come forth till May or June, the caterpillars not having been fully grown till a later period than usual. 
The species is certainly not of common occurrence, although it occurs in all parts of England, extending to 
~ *,* - ~ - Ay QI Y 
the northern parts of Scotland. A number of localities, from Penzance to Caithness, are given by Mr. Stephens. 
SUE EEEEnenneeee——— 
SPECIES 2.—SPHINX LIGUSTRI. THE PRIVET HAWK-MOTH. 
Plate iii. fig. 4—6. 
Synonymes.—Sphina Ligustri, Linneus ; Haworth ; Donoyan, 8, | Wood, Ind. Ent. tab. 4, f. 12; Duncan, Brit. Moths, pl. 4, fig. 2. 
pl. 284; Albin, pl. 7 ; Wilkes, pl. 22 ; Harris Aurelian, pl. 2, f. a—h ; Lethia Ligustri, Hiibner (Verz. bek. Schmett.). 
This is one of the handsomest and, at the same time, least rare species in the family, varying in the expansion 
of its wings from three and a half to nearly five inches. The fore wings are of an ashy colour, with the base pale 
, : o the inner margin, extending nearly from 
and slightly tinted with rose colour, and having a large dark patch along the inner margin, extending nearly fro 
bd aly — * ‘ r ~ ; a = < oO} - E+} y y . h 
the base to the tip, and further marked with slender black lines running longitudinally between the veins of the 
Sica e sis is dark patch runs a waved, ashy, and black stripe, and there is a slender wavy 
wings; along the extremity of this daz k p » ashy 
. _ ” = M ’ oO ¢ £ 
line of a whitish colour running parallel with the outer margin. The hind wings are of a pale rosy colour, 
darker towards the base, with three black bands ; the first, narrow and short, near the base, and the two others, 
: eet ing ; ringe is uniformly greyish-brown. The hind 
broader, and running parallel with the extremity of the wing ; the fringe is y grey 
part of the head and the sides of the thorax are of an ashy-white, but the back of the latter is black, posteriorly 
irrorated with grey ; the sides of the abdomen are of a rich pinkish-red colour, interrupted by black bars, and 
5 3 ; 
with a broad dorsal ashy bar, along the middle of which runs a darker line. The under side of the body is 
pale ashy, with a black line along the centre of the belly. 

