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29 BRITISH MOTHS 
grey, with black lines; the fore edges white, margined with black; a whitish stripe extending from the inner 
margin near the base, and extending to the tip of the wings; another white streak on the disc, where there is 
also a black spot edged with ochre; the outer margin of the wing is pale grey, with a dark lunulated stripe 
running near the edge. The hind wings are dark rose-coloured at the base, succeeded by a broad black bar, 
which does not extend to the anal margin; this is followed by a rosy bar, separated into patches by the dark 
veins, and followed by a narrow black waved bar, the margin of the wing being greyish. The body is brownish- 
srey, with two ashy-white lines extending from the front of the head to the base of the wings. The remainder 
of the thorax is dark ashy-coloured, with a whitish stripe on each side, and two yellow dorsal ones; another 
slender stripe of a silvery-white colour along the back of the abdomen, on each side of which there is, moreover, a 
row of whitish spots. 
The caterpillar is generally of a brown colour, with two yellow lines on each side, the upper one commencing 
at the sixth segment and terminating at the base of the tail, and the lower one formed of a row of lunules placed 
above the spiracles ; the fourth and fifth segments are ornamented at the sides with a large eye-like spot, edged 
with a slender yellow iris. Its ordinary food is the common vine, but it also feeds on the yellow lady’s-bedstraw 
(Galium verum). 
This species is extremely rare in this country, although it has occurred both in the larva and perfect state in 
various parts of the country; near London, near Eltham in Kent, Wisbeach, Norwich, in the Isle of Ely, near 
Oxford, Birmingham, and Manchester. It is also rare on the Continent, except in the southern part, where, as 
well as in the island of Teneriffe, and the Cape of Good Hope, it is abundant. The caterpillar is full-fed at the 
end of July or beginning of August, and sometimes the moth appears shortly afterwards; although occasionally 
it is not produced till the following summer. The perfect insect has been found in July and August. 
SPHINX ARGENTATA, Haworth, is a species allied to Celerio, of which one or two specimens were preserved 
in old cabinets (probably placed there by mistake for the latter species), and which is considered by Mr. Stephens 
to have no claim to the rank of a native species; indeed, it is completely omitted by Mr. Curtis. It is nearly 
three inches in expanse. The fore wings grey, unspotted, with a straight oblique whitish bar, and several 
nearly obsolete brown streaks ; and the hind wings brown, with a pale ochreous streak at the anal angle. It is 
probably synonymous with Sph. Celzeno of Esper, and is figured by Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 53, f. 28. 
SPECIES 3.—CHC@EROCAMPA ELPENOR. THE ELEPHANT HAWK-MOTH. 
Plate v. fig. 7—8. 
Synonymrs.—Sphing Elpenor, Linneus; Haworth; Donovan, Deilephila Elpenor, Ochsenheimer ; Curtis; Wood, Ind. Ent. t. 
vol. 4, pl. 122; Samouelle, Comp. pl. 6, f. 2; Harris, Aurelian, | 4, f. 18. 
pl. 7, fig. a—h; Wilkes, pl. 26. Metopsilus Elpenor, Duncan, Brit. Moths, pl. 11, fig. 1. 
Oreus Elpenor, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett. 
This rather common species has the wings of an olive colour, with the fore edge, a spot at the base, two 
oblique fascize, and the outer margin of the fore wings, of a purplish red ; the hind wings have also the hinder 
margin of the same colour, and the base blackish ; whilst the fore ones have a small discoidal dot, and the hinder 
margin whitish. The antenne, thorax, and abdomen, are olive-coloured ; the palpi and four rather curved lines 
on the thorax, and a line down the abdomen, purplish-red. The sides of the thorax are white. The abdomen 
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