Skip to main content

Full text of "Descriptive catalogue of the North American insects belonging to the Linnaean genus Sphinx in the cabinet of Thaddeus William Harris .."

See other formats


9 605° F 41 Ent. OL S561 
Syas 


Cornell Mniversity Library 


THE GIFT OF 


Cael uanon. \ ‘A. Roonnnalineda... 
tin a SoA: Dadpt... 4 aad females 


Cornell University Libra 


TMNT 


924 018 322 168 


Cat eC. oo LOC. 


s a ~ a 
3 * | ig Fa 
. sae Soe Wehivreges 


sy 


fq 


. 
ie 


ae FL ee SF: ae. 


b sme 


ee). at y SC arya 


‘~ ie be ; fem ae is Ceeu€¢ 


BO ea RT ee 


fs 


a 


7605 ES| Ent, 


Cuan 


=~ ae oe OE ————— 


oo 
Natural History of Volcanos and Earthquakes. 281 


country, which is principally composed of masses of igneous 
origin. We shall pass over the consideration of the question, 
whether this original elevation took place in a fluid or solid state, 
that is, whether in earlier times these masses rose suddenly and 
continued to risé more and more slowly as they gradually coo d, 
or whether this gradually decreasing ratio has always existed. 
We may, however, be allowed the remark, that the slow eleva- 
tion which still continues when the operation of the vapor, as an 
elevating power, has long ceased, may be regarded, according to 
what has been stated above, as the result of an expansion pro- 
duced by the caloric disengaged from the vapor during its con- 
densation. For example, let us assume that the solid crust of 
the earth in Scandinavia was 139,840 feet thick, that the ex- 
pansion of this crust by heat takes place in the same ratio as in 
earthern ware; then, an average increase of heat of 2°.9 R. du- 
ring the space of 1000 years, would be sufficient to effect an ex- 
pansion of 4.26 feet in a stratum of the above-mentioned thick- 
ness. And this is the average ratio of the rising of that country. 

Be the cause of the elevation of Scandinavia what it may, 
this circumstance is remarkable, that in the southern part of Swe- 
den, where the country, according to Nilson’s statement, sinks, 
secondary formations, viz. chalk, occur in great abundance, while 
in the north of Sweden, as well as in Finland, the gneiss-granite 
formation predominates. We must not, however, attach too 
much importance to the connexion which appears to exist be- 
tween the elevation of the northern part of Sweden and the prev- 
alence of the latter formation, as Nilson* says, the challc also lies 
on gneiss, and less frequently on greywacke. It is neverthless 
remarkable that the granite island of Bornholm, which is situated 
opposite to the sinking coast of Schonen, is still in the act of 
rising, according to the observations of Forchhammer above allu- 
ded to. 

As regards the sinking of countries, there is no difficulty in re- 
garding it as the result of an elevation of neighboring countries. 
Yet we can imagine many causes, independent of such elevations, 
which may produce depressions. It does not, however, lie within 
the scope of these remarks to enumerate these causes. 


* Petrificata Suecana Form, Cretaceae, &c. 1827, p. 81. 
Vol. xxxv1, No. 2.—April-July, 1839. 36 


282 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


It remains to consider the elevations of whole systems of rocks, 
events which must have taken place prior to the existence of our 
records. 'There is doubtless no difficulty in also explaining these 
phenomena. through the agency of steam. Elie de Beaumont,* 
however, is of opinion, that these elevations are a consequence of 
the inequality between the cooling of the interior and exterior 
of the earth. We shall examine this subject, after pointing out 
the laws that prevail during the cooling of large masses of fused 


matter. 
To be continued. 


Arr. IlI.—Descriptive Catalogue of the North American Insects 
belonging to the Linnean Genus Sruinx in the Cabinet of 
"Tuappeus Witiiam Harris, M. D., Librarian of Harvard Uni- 


versity. 


Tue insects belonging to the order Lepidoptera have peculiar 
claims to our attention. In the adult or winged state they are 
among the most beautiful, and in their previous or caterpillar state 
are the most injurious of insects. Living while young principally 
on the leaves of plants, they are at all times more or less exposed 
to ow observation, and too often obtrude themselves on our no- 
tice by their extensive ravages. While it is comparatively easy 
to discover these insects and observe their transformations, the de- 
termination of their names and their places in a scientific arrange- 
ment is rendered in many cases impossible, and in all exceedingly 
difficult, to the American student, from the want of suitable de- 
scriptive works on this branch of entomology. Having overcome 
these difficulties myself only at a great expense and much loss of 
time, it has occurred to me that a descriptive catalogue of our 
Lepidoptera might be useful to others, while it would serve to 
confirm the names given to these insects in my cabinet, and 
transmitted in return for specimens to my friends. My own col- 
lection has now become quite extensive, and contains a large 
number of undescribed species from various parts of the United 
States. Passing by our Butterflies, nearly all of which have been 


* Poggendorff’s Annal. vol. xxv, p. 55, 


* 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 283 


figured and for the most part described in Dr. Boisduval’s “ His- 
toire et Iconographie des Lepidoptéres de Amérique Septentrio- 
nale,” I propose, at the present time, to offer for publication 
descriptions of the native insects in my collection belonging to 
the second grand division of the order Lepidoptera, comprising 
the Sphinges of Linnzeus. Should these be favorably received, 
they may hereafter be followed by descriptions of our Phalenz 
or moths. 'The larve or caterpillars of many of the species are 
described partly from my own observations, and partly from the 
figures given by Mr. Abbot in his great work, on the Lepidoptera 
of Georgia, edited by Sir James E. Smith. My obligations to 
the gentlemen who have favored me with specimens will be 
found recorded on almost every page of this catalogue, and I beg 
leave to tender to them my most grateful acknowledgments, and 
to solicit from them, and from others, a continuation of similar 
favors. 

Linneeus was led to give the name of Sphinx to the insects in 
his second group of the Lepidoptera, from a fancied resemblance 
which some of their larve, when at rest, have to the Sphinx of 
the Egyptians. 'The attitude of these larvee is indeed very re- 
markable. Supporting themselves by their four or six hind-legs, 
they elevate the fore-part of the body, and remain immovably 
fixed in this posture for hours together. In the winged state the 
true Sphinges are known by the name of humming-bird moths, 
from the sound which they make in flying, and hawk-moths, 
from their habit of hovering in the air while taking their food. 
These humming-bird or hawk-moths may be seen during the 
morning and evening twilight flying with great swiftness from 
flower to flower. Their wings are long, narrow, and pointed, 
and are moved by powerful muscles, to accommodate which 
their bodies are very thick and robust. They delight most in 
the honeysuckle and scarlet Bignonia, from the tubular blossoms 
of which they extract the honey, while on the wing, by means of 
their excessively long maxille or tongue. Other Sphinges fly 
during the day-time only, and in the bright sunshine. ‘Then it 
is that our large clear-winged Sesiz make their appearance among 
the flowers, and regale themselves with their sweets. 'The fra- 
grant Phlox is their especial favorite. From their size and form 
and fan-like tails, from their brilliant colors, the swiftness of their 
flight, and the manner in which they take their food, poised upon 


" 2 


284 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


rapidly vibrating wings above the blossoms, they might readily 
be mistaken for humming-birds. The Agerie are also diurnal 
in their habits. Their flight is swift, but not prolonged, and they 
usually alight while feeding. In form and color they so much 
resemble bees and wasps as hardly to be distinguished from them. 
The Smerinthi are heavy and sluggish in their motions. They 
fly only during the night, and apparently take no food in the 
winged state, their maxilla or tongues being so short as to be 
useless for this purpose. ‘The Glaucopidide, or Sphinges with 
feathered antenne, fly mostly by day, and alight to take their 
food like the Aigerie, to which some of them bear a resemblance, 
while others have nearly the form of Phalenz or moths, with 
which also they agree in their previous transformations. 


SYNOPSIS OF THE FAMILIES AND GENERA. 


It was not my intention originally to give here the characters 
of the genera, but to refer the student for them to the works of 
Latreille and other entomologists. Upon further consideration, 
however, I have thought that the labor of determining our Sphin- 
ges by means of the catalogue would be much abridged, if a sy- 
nopsis of the families and genera were to be prefixed to it. 


Class Insecta. P 
Animals with jointed bodies, breathing through lateral holes or spiracles, pro- 
duced from eggs; while growing subject to a transformation of three stages ; in 
the first stage called larve, caterpillars, grubs, or maggots; in the second pupe, 
nymphs, or chrysalids; in the third stage provided with wings, a body composed 
of three distinct parts, the head, thorax or trunk, and the abdomen, and having 
two compound eyes, two antenne, from two to six palpi or feelers, and six legs. 


Order Lepidoptera. 


The young, called larve or caterpillars, are provided with jaws, and from ten to 
sixteen legs. They feed principally upon vegetable substances. The pupw take 
no food, are incapable of moving about, are apparently without legs, these parts 
with their other members being folded up and firmly soldered to the body. In the 
third stage they are, with few exceptions, provided with four wings, which, with 
the body, are more or less covered with little colored branny scales, lapping over 
each other like the scales of fishes; their jaws are transformed to a tongue, more or 
less long, and, when not in use, spirally rolled and concealed between the palpi. 


Section I.—Papiliones. 


Antenne threadlike and knobbed or thickened at the end. Wings not confined 
by a bristle and hook; all of them, or the first pair at least, elevated perpendicu- 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 285 


larly, and turned back to back when at rest. Only one pair of spurs to the hind- 
legs in the greater number. Thorax moderate ; abdomen rather slender. Flight 
diurnal. Larva with sixteen feet; transformation in the open air. Pup angu- 
lated, and fastened by silken threads, or ovoid, and enclosed in an imperfect co- 
coon. 
o te 
Section II.—Sphinges. lay 


Antenne thickened in or just beyond the middle, tapering at each end, and 
most often hooked at the tip; more rarely slender and nearly setaceous, with a 
double row of slender teeth or hairs on the under side in the males. Wings con- 
fined by a bristle or bunch of stiff hairs on the front edge near the shoulder of each 
hind-wing, which is retained by a hook on the under side of each fore-wing ; when 
at rest horizontal, or inclined on the sides of the body, the fore-wings covering and 
concealing the hind pair. ‘Two pairs of spurs to the hind-legs. Thorax thick and 
robust; abdomen mostly.conical. Flight of some in the morning and evening 
twilight, of a few nocturnal, and of others during the day. Larve with sixteen 
legs ; transformation in or upon the ground, or in a silken cocoon. Pupw elonga- 
ted ovoid. 


Section IIl.—Phalene. 


Antenne (never knobbed at the end or thickened in the middle) slender and ta- 
pering to a point, in some pectinated or feathered, in others simple or bristle-formed. 
Wings confined together by bristles and hooks, the first pair covering the hind- 
wings and horizontal or sloping when at rest. 'T'wo pairs of spurs to the hind-legs. 
Flight for the most part nocturnal. Larvee with from ten to sixteen legs, transfor- 
ming ina silken cocoon orin the ground. Pup ovoid. 


The Sphinges may be divided into two tribes. 
Tribe I.—Sphinges legitime. 


Larve colored, naked, for the most part horned on the tail, and feeding on the 
leaves of plants; or whitish, slightly hairy, not horned, and living on woody mat- 
ter within the stems of plants. Antenne of the winged insects tipped with a mi- 
nute bristly tuft.* Palpi (except in the A®geriade) with the third joint minute 
and indistinct. 


Tribe II.—Sphinges adscite. 


Larve always colored, more or less hairy, never horned, feeding on leaves, and 
transforming in a silken cocoon, which is fastened to the plants on which they live. 
Antenne of the winged insects not tufted at the end. Palpi distinctly three-jointed. 


The first tribe, or Sphinges legitime, may be divided into three families. 


Family I.—Sphingiade.. 


Antenne fusiform and prismatic; ending in a hook, and, in the males, trans- 
versely biciliated beneath; or, more rarely, curved, and, in the males, bipectina- 


* This little tuft is obsolete or wanting in the Smerinthi. 


286 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


ted beneath. Palpi pressed close to the face, short, thick, and obtuse, with the 
third joint minute and concealed. Body thick; abdomen conical and not tufted at 
the end. Flight crepuscular. Larve colored, naked, with a caudal horn, which 
is sometimes obsolete and replaced by a callous spot; they devour the leaves of 
plants, and go deep into the earth to transform, or conceal themselves upon the 
surface, under leaves, in an imperfect cocoon, 


The North American genera in this family are six. 


Genus I.—Smerinthus. 


Wings more or less angular and indented, the front margin of the hind-wings 
projecting beyond the upper or fore-wings when at rest. Antenne short, prismat- 
ical and fusiform, areuated or curved near the tip, transversely biciliated or bipeec- 
tinated beneath in the males. ‘Tongue obsolete. Larve granulated, with the head 
triangular, horned on the tail, obliquely banded on each side, and transforming in 
the earth. 


, 


“, ‘Genus If.—Ceratomia. 


Wings entire. Antenne elongated, abruptly ending in a short and slender hook, 
transversely biciliated beneath in the males. Palpi horizontal and nearly cylin- 
drical. Tongue moderate, Abdomen longitudinally striped. Larve with horns 
on the fore-part of the body, a row of little teeth on the back, a long caudal horn, 
and oblique bands on each side ; it transforms in the earth. 


Genus T1.—Sphinx. 


Wings entire. Antenne long, abruptly ending in a short and slender hook, and 
transversely biciliated beneath in the males. Palpi rising and enlarged at the 
end. ‘Tongue long. Abdomen spotted or transversely banded at the sides. Larve 
with oblique bands on the sides and a caudal horn, and transforming in the earth. 


Genus IV.—Philampelus. 


Wings sinous. Antenne long, attenuated at the end, with a long terminal hook, 
and transversely biciliated beneath in the males. ‘Tongue moderate. Abdomen 
not transversely banded or spotted at the sides. Larva short, thick, with the head 
and first three segments rather small and capable of being drawn more or less 
within the fourth segment; when young with a long, slender, recurved caudal 
horn, which subsequently disappears and is replaced by a callous spot; sides with 
oblique spots sloping backwards and downwards ; transforms in the earth, 


Genus V.—Cheerocampa. 


Wings sinous or angulated. Antenne rather short and slender, generally arcua- 
ted, tapering, and ending ina long hook; more rarely straight, with a short termi- 
nal hook ; transversely biciliated beneath in the males. Tongue moderate. Ab- 
domen immaculate, or longitudinally striped, but never transversely banded at the 
sides. Larve elongated, the fore-part of the body tapering and retractile ; with 
from one to three eye-like spots, or a series of oblique bands on each side ; caudal 
horn short, sometimes obsolete and replaced by a callous spot; transforms on the 
surface of the ground, under leaves, in an imperfect cocoon. 


oe 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 287 
Genus VI.—Deilephila. 


Wings entire, upper ones acute. Antenne rather short, straight, gradually thick- 
ening nearly to the end, which suddenly terminates in a small and short hook ; 
in the males transversely biciliated beneath. ‘Tongue moderate. Abdomen con- 
ical, pointed, and transversely banded at the sides. Larva elongated, not tapering 
before, and the head and first three segments not retractile, with a series of nine or 
ten round spots on each side, and a long caudal horn; transforms in the earth. 


» Family Il—Macroglossiade. 


Antenne fusiform, prismatic, ending with a hook, and transversely biciliated 
beneath in the males. Palpi pressed close to the face, with the third joint minute 
and concealed; short, thick, and obtuse at the end in some; slightly elongated 
and subacute in others. Body short and thick, or flattened a little; abdomen tufted 
atthe end. Flight diurnal. Larve colored, naked, with a caudal horn, which is 
sometimes obsolete and replaced by a callous spot; they devour the leaves of 
plants, and enter the earth to transform, or conceal themselves upon the surface in 
an imperfect cocoon under leaves. 


In this family we have three genera, Pterogon, Thyreus, and Sesia. 


Genus VII.—Pterogon. 


Wings angulated and indented. Antenne long, arcuated, tapering at the end, 
with a long, terminal hook. Tongue as long as the body. Abdomen short 
and conical. Larve attenuated before, with a series of spots, on each side, sloping 
obliquely backwards and downwards, and a caudal horn, which is frequently ob- 
solete and replaced by a callous spot: they transform in an imperfect cocoon un- 
der leaves. 


Genus VIII.—Thyreus. 


Wings angulated and indented. Antenne long, and ending with a long hook. 
Palpi short, thick, and obtuse at the end. ‘Tongue moderate. Abdomen ovoid. 
Larye elongated, not attenuated before, longitudinally striped on the back, 
obliquely banded at the sides, with a long and straight caudal horn: they trans- 
form in the earth. 


Genus I[X.—Sesia. > 


Wings entire, upper ones acute, all of them transparent in the middle. An- 
tenne short, straight, gradually thickened towards the end, with the terminal 


- hook obsolete, and obliquely biciliated beneath in the males. Palpi somewhat 


elongated, subacute, and forming a conical beak. ‘Tongue long. Abdomen short 
ovoid, slightly flattened. Larve not attenuated before, longitudinally striped on 
the back, with a short, slightly recurved caudal horn: they transform in an imper- 
fect cocoon under leaves on the surface of the ground. 


Family U1.—Mgeriade. ei 


Antenne arcuated; either thickening to beyond the middle, attenuated and 
curved but not hooked at the end, and biciliated beneath in the males; or very 
slightly fusiform and almost threadlike, and simple in both sexes. Palpi elonga- 
ted, slender, distinctly three-jointed, prominent, separated and not pressed close to 
the head, nearly cylindrical, covered with very small scales and almost naked ex-_ 


¥ 
nF 


a >) ee a ae —_. a 
. ~ 
; 


288 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


ceptat the base, which is hairy, and pointed at the tip. Wings more or less trans- 
parent. Abdomen with a caudal tuft. Flight diurnal. Larve whitish, soft, 
slightly downy, living within the stems of plants, and generally transforming in a 
cocoon made of fragments of wood and bark cemented by agummy matter. Pupe 
with the edges of the abdominal segments armed with transverse rows of small 
teeth. 


The American species in this family may be disposed in the genera Trochilium, 


fEgeria, and Thyris. ? 
Genus X.—Trochilium. 


Wings narrow, entire, all of them, or the hind-pair at least, transparent. An- 
tenne short, stout, arcuated, gradually thickened nearly to the end, which is curved 
but not hooked ; underside generally fringed with a double row of very short bris- 


tles in the males. ‘Tongue very short. Body thick; abdomen slightly tufted at 
the end. 


Genus XI.— M¢geria. 


Wings narrow, entire, all of them, or the hind-pair at least, transparent. An- 
tenn mostly elongated, sometimes short, arcuated, gradually thickened nearly to 
the end, which is curved but not hooked ; underside generally fringed with a dou- 
ble row of short bristles in the males. Tongue long. Body slender; abdomen 
nearly or quite cylindrical, ending with a flat or trilobed tuft, 


Genus XII.—Thyris. 


Wings broad, subtriangular, more or less angulated and indented, opaque, with 
small semitransparent spots. Antenna fusiform, but slender and only slightly 
thickened in the middle, arcuated, and simple in both sexes. Tongue moderate. 
Body short and thick ; abdomen conical, and tufted at the end. ‘ 


*¥ aes 


“Tribe II.—Sphinges adscite. 


oe ‘ 


The species described in this catalogue may be disposed in three families, Aga- 
ristiade, Zygeniade, and Glaucopidide. 


Family IV.—Agaristiade. 


Antenne straight, slightly thickened in or beyond the middle, and curved at the 
tip. Palpi elongated, slender, not pressed to the face, hairy at base, with the ter- 
minal joint cylindrical, scaly or almost naked. Wings broad, subtriangular. Tail 
hairy or tufted. Flight diurnal. Larve elongated, cylindrical, or enlarged a little 
behind, slightly hairy, transversely banded or spotted, and without a caudal horn, 


Genus XIII.—Alypia. 


Wings broad, subtriangular, entire, and opaque, with large whitish spots. An- 
tenn somewhat elongated and slender, thickened very gradually from beyond the 
middle nearly to the tip, which is slightly curved, obtuse, and not tufted. Palpi 
long, porrect, separate, with the first two joints very hairy. and the third joint cy- 
lindrical, scaly, and obtuse. Tongue moderate, and spirally rolled. Abdomen 
somewhat elongated, nearly cylindrical, fringed at the sides and tip with short 
hairs. Anterior and intermediate tibim thickly clothed with hairs. Posterior tibiw 
with two pairs of pretty long unequal spurs. 

ee 


% 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 289 
Family V.—Zygeniade. 


Antenne arcuated, abruptly thickened and curved beyond the middle. Palpi 
generally elongated, sometimes short, not pressed to the face, hairy at base, with 
the terminal joint scaly or almost naked. Wings narrow, opaque, often spotted, 
the hind-pair rather small. Abdomen more or less cylindrical, obtuse, and not 
tufted at the end. Flight diurnal. Larve short, contracted, variegated with spots, 
slightly hairy, and not horned on the tail. 


Genus XIV.—Mastigocera. 


Wings long, narrow, entire, opaque, the hind-pair quite small. Antenne simple 
in both sexes, filiform at base, suddenly thickened and fusiform beyond the middle, 
very much attenuated towards the tip, and ending in a long curved point. Labial 
palpi somewhat curved, extending considerably beyond the clypeus, separated, 
well covered with hairs beneath the base; the penultimate joint longest, eylindri- 
cal, and sealy ; the last joint also cylindrical, obtusely rounded at the end, and coy- 
ered with small, close scales. Maxilla (tongue) nearly as long as the body. Ab- 
domen nearly cylindrical, obtusely rounded at the end, longitudinally grooved at 
the sides before, with the basal segment strongly marked, and swelling on each 
side into a little tubercle. Legs long and slender; posterior tarsi laterally com- 
pressed, and hairy on the outside, in the males, 


Family VI.—Glaucopidide:. 

Antenne slender, almost setaceous, or very slightly thickened in the middle, and 
distinctly bipectinated beneath in the males. Palpi slender, more or less elongated, 
not pressed to the face. Wings sometimes narrow, and sometimes widened, en- 
tire, and for the most part opaque. Abdomen nearly cylindrical, and frequently 
tufied at the end. Flight diurnal. Larve cylindrical, hairy, without a caudal horn. 

. A 
: Genus XV.—Procris. i 
Wings narrow, elongated, opaque, and immaculate. Antenne slender, tapering 
at each end, and bipectinated beneath in the males. Palpi small, short, pendent, — 
and nearly naked. ‘Tongue short, but distinct, and spirally rolled. Abdomen 
slender and nearly cylindrical in the males, thicker in the females, and tufted at 
the end. Spurs of the hind tibia two in number, and very minute. 


Genus X VI,—Glaucopis. 


Wings narrow in some, broad in others, entire, for the most part opaque, and 
with the body more or less glossed with blue, sometimes spotted or partially trans- 
parent. Antenne feathered or bipectinated in both sexes, the pectinations elonga- 
ted in the males,*and short in the females. Palpi more or less elongated and re- 
curved. ‘Tongue moderate, spirally rolled. Caudal tuft minute or wanting in the 
greater number. Posterior tibiw with three or four spurs of moderate size. 


From this Synopsis it will be seen that the divisions and arrangement which I 
have adopted, differ somewhat from those of the entomologists of the present time. 
The affinities or resemblances of the Lepidoptera, in their different states, are so 
various, that it is impossible to preserve a natural connection between them in a 
linear series. After repeated trials, I have concluded still to adhere to the views 
of our great masters in Entomology, Linneus and Fabricius, especially as modern Pees 
entomologists are by no means agreed upon the limits of the larger divisions of the 
Lepidoptera, and the order of the genera. 

Vol. xxxv1, No. 2.—April-July, 1839. 37 ot 


¢ 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


ORDER LEPIDOPTERA. L. 


SPHINGES. L. 


Crepuscularia. Latr.  Clostérocéres. Duméril. Hétérocéeres. — 


Boisduval. (Part. ) s. 
Tribe I. TINGES LEGITIMA. L. 
Family I. SPHINGIADA. H. The Sphingians. 


§ Alis angulatis. L. 
Genus I. Smeninruus. Latr. 


* Antenne transversely biciliated beneath in the males. 
1. S. excecata. Smith—Abbot. 

Fawn-colored ; fore-wings deeply scalloped and toothed on the 
outer edge, clouded and banded with brown; hind-wiugs rose- 
colored in the middle, with a large round eye-like black spot, 
having a pale blue centre, near the anal angle; fringes narrow, 
white ; thorax with a central lance-shaped chestnut-colored spot, 
the point of which extends upon the head. Expands two and a 
half to three inches anda half. Larva granulated, apple-green, 
with two short pale lines before, seven oblique yellowish white 


lines on each side, and a bluish caudal horn. It feeds upon the 


leaves of the apple-tree, and upon those of Rosa Carolina also, 
according to Abbot, who (in his Insects of Georgia, p. 49, pl. 25,) 
has represented a variety of the larva of a yellow color, and green- 
ish at the sides, which are obliquely banded with yellow, and 
have two Longino rows of rust-red spots upon them. It en- 
ters the earth to undergo its transformations. Pupa chestnut- 
brown, with a short obtuse anal spine. 
2, S. Astylus. Drury. = integerrima. H. Catalogue Ins. 
Mass.* . 
Cinnamon-colored; fore-wings angulated but entire, tinged 
with rosy white at base, with whitish wavy bands near the tip, a 
bluish mark along the inner margin, and a tawny yellow spot on 
each outer angle; hind-wings tawny yellow at base, with a 
round black eye-like spot, having a pale blue centre, near the anal 
angle; middle of the thorax cinnamon-red, shoulder-covers paler 


* Catalogue of the Insects of Massachusetts, by 'T. W. Harris; appended to 
Prof, Hitchcock's Report on the Geology, &e, of Massachusetts. 
= ; 


* 


_ with a rosy white tinge, and a brown edge above ; abdomen with 


: Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 291 


a longitudinal dorsal brown line. Expands from two and a half 
to two inches and three quarters. 

My specimens, a male and a female, were captured at Cam- 
bridge on the Azalea viscosa. 

3. S. Myops. Smith-Abbot. = Rosacearum. Boisd. 

Chocolate-brown ; fore-wings sinuated and angulated on the 
outer edge, varied with wavy whitish and brown bands, with a 
white Z at tip, and a tawny yellow spot on each of the outer an- 
gles; hind-wings with abbreviated whitish and brown bands 
upon the front edge, ochre-yellow next to the body, with a round 
black eye-spot having a pale blue centre near the anal angle ; 
head and shoulder-covers glossed with bluish white; a rusty 
brown stripe in the middle of the thorax; abdomen with a few 
tawny yellow spots on each side. Expands from two inches and 
three lines to two inches and six lines. Larva, as figured by Ab- 
bot, (Ins. Georg. p. 51, pl. 26,) apple-green, the head margined 
with yellow, and two rows of rust-red spots with six oblique yel- 
lowish bands on each side of the body. Abbot says that it eats 
the leaves of the wild cherry-tree, and buries itself in the ground 
to undergo its transformations. Pupa deep brown. 

M. Boisduval has named and figured but has not described this 

species, in the first volume of his Species Général des Lepidop- — 
teres, pl. 15, fig. 4; moreover the name given by him is subse- 
quent to that a Sir J. E. Smith, which is an additional reason 
why it cannot be adopted. 

* * Antenne pectinated on both sides in the gale. 

A. S. geminata. Say. i) Ss 

Rosy ash-gray ; fore-wings angulated and with ¢ a sinuous outer 
margin, varied with transverse wavy rosy gray and brown lines, 
a brown spot and angulated band near the middle, and a deep 
brown semioval spot at tip; hind-wings rose-colored in the mid- 
dle, with a large semioval black spot including two pale blue 
spots near the anal angle; thorax with a large central semioval 
brown spot. Expands 1 aan two and a quarter to more than two 
inches and a half. 

Tam indebted to the Rev. L. W. Leonard, of Dublin, N. H., 
for my specimens, both of which are males. ‘The figure of S. _ 
ocellatus Jamaicensis, in Drury’s Illustrations, Vol. II, pl. 25, fig. — 
2, 3, very nearly resembles the geminata, but it has only one blue 
pupil in the eye-spot of thes hind-wings. Mr. Kirby’s 8S. Cerisii, 


es a Oe 


ee ae ee —, ee aes eS oe ee a 
Cae eg 
7 ae” Te ; 


‘yar 3 
: , i ova 
292 Catalogue of North American Sphingess = 
ye . pa AL ; 
(Faun. Bor. Amer. IV, p. 301, pl. 4, fig. 4,) is probably identical 
with Drury’s species. ; FASS a 
_* * * Antenna, in the males, with the joints distinct and doubly 
bipectinated. ; or ‘Grae : 


5. S. Juglandis. Smith-Abbot. re . 

Rosy gray, drab, or dusky brown ; wings indented on the outer P 
edges; fore-wings with a dusky outer margin, a short brownish 
dash near the middle, and four transverse brown lines converging 

Pa behind and enclosing a square dark brown spot adjacent to the 
y middle of the inner margin; hind wings with two narrow trans- 
; « verse brown lines between two brownish bands; thorax with a 
central brown line; abdominal segments plaited and prominent 
¥ at the sides. Expands from two and a quarter to three inches. 
The females are much larger and of a lighter brownish gray color 
than the males, with the square spot on the fore-wings less dis- 
tinct. Zarva with the head small, and the body attenuated be- 
fore and behind, pale blue-green, with a long caudal horn, and 
ca seven oblique white bands on each side. When disturbed it 
makes a creaking noise by rubbing together the joints of the fore- 
part of its body. It eats the leaves of the black walnut, and en- 
ters the earth to undergo its transformations. Mr. Abbot (Ins. / fe 
Georg. p. 57, pl. 29) has figured a remarkable variety of the larva, 
which is of a crimson color, with the fore-part of the body and 
the oblique bands yellow. Pupa deep chestnut-brown, granula- 
ted, with six little tubercles on the head-case, a transverse row of 
acuminated granules on the hinder edges of the abdominal seg- 
ments, the last three of which segments are flattened beneath and 
angularly dilated at the sides, with the tip broad, truncated, and \ 
externally bidentate. 

The antennz of the males of this species differ from those of 
the preceding in having the joints distinct to the naked eye, and ® 
each joint furnished with two teeth or short pectinations on each 
side. Mr. Doubleday presented me with specimens, from Flor- 
ida, which differ from our northern specimens only in being of a 
darker color. ‘ 

* * * * Antenne, in the males, 

6. iS. modesta. H. — 

Drab-colored ; fore-wings scalloped, with a transverse dusky 
band before the middle ; hind-wings purplish-red in the middle, 
deeper red next to the base, and witha blackish spot near the 
anal angle. Expands four inches and one quarter. 


—— 


¢ , 


eee. Cen ee 
; t . = 2 * - 


» 


We _Db% * Ks : 
vores Catalogue of North American Sphinges. — 293 
: ~~. oe 


SAL 


ME oe Ning . 5 
a BS Thave never seen but one specimen, which was much rubbed 
_ + before it came into my possession. It is a female, with a very 
r ro thick an robust body, and simple antennee, and probably is the 
a yam orth American representative of S. Tilie and Quercus. 
§ Alis integris, ano simplici. L. 
— . Genus IL. Crraromia. H. 


I have been induced to propose a new genus for the reception = re 
of a single species, presenting characters, in the larva and winged . 
state, which do not allow it to be included in the genus Sphinx 2 
as now received. The larva of this species, in the possession of 3 
horns on the fore-part of the body, exhibits a peculiarity which 
hitherto appears to have been unnoticed or undescribed among % 
the Sphinges. The name of the genus, derived from xoure, 
horns, and uta, the shoulder, alludes to this peculiarity. An 
analogous and still more imposing form is found in the larve of 
the Phalene, belonging to the genus Ceratocampa. 
C. quadricornis. H. .0) 2 /, " : 
Light brown; fore-wings with zigzag and wavy brown and 
whitish bands, dusky in the middle to the inner margin, the an- 
terior edge whitish, and a large white dot near the middle ; hind- 
_ Wings with three dusky transverse bands, anda broad blackish + 
hind-border ; fringes dotted with white; head and a broad line 
on each side of the thorax to the shoulders white; shoulder- 
covers with three and abdomen with five longitudinal brown 
lines. Expands four and a half to nearly five inches. Larva 
pale blue-green, longitudinally wrinkled, with a pair of short 
denticulated horns on the second segment, a similar pair on the 
third, two parallel series of little teeth on the first four segments, 
a dorsal row of larger teeth extending to the tail, a long bluish 
| = caudal horn, and seven narrow oblique white lines on each side 
of the body. It feeds upon the leaves of Ulmus Americana, 
and transforms in the earth. 


Genus III. Spuix. L. 


* Tongue-case of the pupa detached from the breast. 
1. S. cingulata. F. = Convolvuli.. Smith—Abbot. 

Dark ash-gray, variegated with brown, body beneath white ; 
middle of the hind-wings pink, with three or four black bands ; 
fringes of the wings spotted with white; and five pink-colored 
spots separated by short transverse black lines on each side of . 


a ier”). a t. a Le Se ee 
& 6 -_ ." . - > 7 * 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 
To oe ee S cee 
the abdomen. Expands about four inches. Larva, as represent- 
ed by Abbot, (Ins. Geog. p. 63, pl. 32) dark brown, with a dou- 
ble chain-like rust-red dorsal line, a paler lateral line, a series 
of eight hook-shaped yellowish spots on each side enclosing the 
spiracles, and a short curved horn on the tail. Eats the leaves of 
- the sweet potato (Convolvulus batatas,) and enters the ea th to 
sie its transformation. Pupa with along hooked tongue- 
case spirally recurved at its extremity. Inhabits the Middle and 
‘Southern States. 
~ Tam indebted to Dr. J. E. Holbrook, of Charleston, S. C., for 
a specimen. . 
2: S. Carolina. L. , ,/26 

Ash-gray ; fore-wings with blackish wavy lines; hind-wings 
whitish in the middle, with four black bands, the two central 
ones narrow and jagged ; fringes spotted with white ; five orange- 
‘colored spots encircled with black on each side of the abdomen ; 
and the tongue excessively long. Expands about five inches. 
Larva apple-green, transversely wrinkled, with seven oblique 
White lines on each side, and a rust-colored caudal horn. Com- 
monly known by the names of potato-worm and d¢obacco-worm, 
from the plants on which it is found; transforms: deep in the 
earth. Pupa with along tongue-case, curved near the head, 
straight and touching the breast only at the end, representing the 
handle of a vase. 

3. S. Drupiferarum. Smith—Abbot. ’ 

Pale reddish-gray ; fore-wings with a dark brown band ex- 
tending from the inner margin to the tip, and crossed by slender 
black lines between the nervures ;* hind-wings with two trans- 
verse blackish bands; thorax dark chestnut, with the sides and 
the head white; abdomen dark brown above, with a slender 
dorsal black line and about five whitish lateral spots margined 
with black. Expands three and a half to four inches. Larva, 
according to Abbot, (Ins. Geog. p. 71, pl. 36) apple-green, with 
seven oblique lateral bands, which are violet above and white 
below, a line on each side of the head and the caudal horn vio- 
let. Feeds on the leaves of the Celtis and plum, and is trans- — 
formed in the earth. Pupa, like that of S. Ligustri, with a short 
tongue-case detached from the breast. 


* The veins, or elevated and branching lines on the wings of insects, are called 
nervures by Mr. Kirby. 


ae ad ‘ . . . . . 
Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 295 
vane a 


4. S. Kalmie. Smith-Abbot. : 
Rusty-buff ; fore-wings streaked with light brown, and with ¢ a 
narrow whitish band near the outer margin ; hind-wings wi ha 
narrow central and a broad marginal blackish band ; ges 
brown ‘spotted with white; shoulder-covers white edged. with 
brown; abdomen with aden “dorsal black line and “short 
; transverse bands alternately black and white at the sides ; be- 
: neath dull reddish white. ianautl three and a half to four and 


ares a SS a a 
rae ne ; . ; Bec 


a quarter inches. Lapis according to Abbot, (Ins. Georg. p. 73, — 


pl. 37) pale gr green, w seven oblique yellow tande edged above i 


“ 
b _ with violet, on each Fide, the caudal horn and a line on ya side 


of the sad blue, and the hinder pair of legs yellow. eeds on 
the leaves of Kalmia latifolia, and transforms in the earth. Pu- 
: pa witha short detached tongue-case. ™ P. ‘ 
Fi, 5. S. Gor » Cramer. 
P Brownish ash-gray; fore-wings streaked with black between ; 


the nervures, with the anterior and inner margin dusky-brown, a 
white dot near the middle, and a large gray spot at base ; fringe 
spotted with white ; hind-wings with a narrow central and a 
broad marginal dustey brown band, and a white fringe; thorax 
deep chestnut, Whe sides and the head above whitish ; ab- 
domen with a central black line, and the sides ashy vhite trans- 
versely banded with black. Expands three to Ce and 
a half. La apple-green, with seven oblique white lateral 
bands, slightly edged above with violet, a rust-red caudal horn, 
and a brownish fh on each side of the head. It lives on the 
apple-tree, and enters the earth to be transformed, Pupa with a 

very short detached tongue-case. 

6. S. cinerea. H. 
Ash-gray ; fore-wings long, narrow, and entire, with five short 
oblique lines between the nervures ; hind-wings with two black- 
j ein bands ; shoulder-covers sligbalye edged with black above; ab- 
m domen with a narrow dorsal black line, and short alternate bande 
of black and dirty white on the sides. Expands four and a half 
five inches and a quarter. 

_ The specimens from which this description is taken were 
> raised many years ago from larvee, which, at the time, I neglect- 
ed to figure and describe. 'To the best of my recollection, these 
larvee were found on the lilac, and, with the pup, corresponded 
very nearly in form, color, and size, to those of the European SS. 


, 


we % é 
Ligustri. The present species is remarkable for the length and 
sharpness of the wings, which are of a fine neutral gray tint, and 
for the prominence of the head and palpi. 

* * Tongue-case of the pupa not detached, but buried, and sol- 
dered to the breast. 

7. 8. sordida. H. FON 

Dark gray ; fore-wings variegated with dark brown, dashed 
with a few blackish lines, and with a whitish dot near the mid- 
dle ; hind-wings with a blackish basal spot, and two broad black 
bands ; a dark brown line on each shoulder-cover ; abdomen with 
a dorsal black line, and alternate black and light gray bands on 
the sides. Expands two inches and three quarters. 

Although the larva and pupa of this species are unknown to 
me, I judge from analogy that it belongs to this division of the 
genus Sphinx. - : 

8. S. Hyleus. Drury.=Prini. Smith—Abbot. ; 

Rusty brown; fore-wings mottled with white, ‘banded with 
jagged dark brown lines, with a white dot near the middle, and 
a spot of the same color at tip; hind-wings whitish with a nar- 
row indented brown band across the middle, and a broad one on 


‘the outer margin ; fringes spotted with white ; a whitish line 


above the eyes extending on each side of the thorax; two lon- 
gitudinal rows of white dots on the top of the abdomen, anda 
series of short narrow white bands on each side. Expands two 
and a quarter to two inches and three quarters. Larva pea- 
green, with six or seven oblique lateral whitish bands edged 
above with pink, a purple caudal horn, and a pale blue line on 
each side of the head. It feeds on the leaves of Prinos glaber 
and various species of Vacciniwm, and enters the earth to be 
transformed. ig 

This insect is much like the Brontes of Drury, which, how- 
ever, is a much larger species, more distinctly banded with 
white, &c. 

9. S. Plebeja. ¥. 

Gray ; fore-wings with a white dot near the middle, and five 
or six short oblique blackish lines between the nervures ; hind- 
wings sooty black, dirty white at base ; fringes white, spotted 
with dark brown; abdomen with three black lines, one dorsal, 
and two on each side, the latter enclosing a longitudinal series of 
dirty white spots. Expands three inches. Inhabits the Southern 
States. 


pe MEP he tT. ee ee one ie) a Fee ee Me 
_ « seis 25 2 
ey - 


296 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


¥ 


' 


~ 


_ Catalogue of North American Sphinges. <fRe7 
é 3 - - : 

The only specimen which I have seen was taken by Prof. 
Hentz in North Carolina, and now belongs to the Boston Soci- 
ety of Natural History. 

10. S. Coniferarum. Smith—Abbot. 
Gray; fore-wings with about three narrow and indented 


brownish bands, a spot near the middle, one or two streaks be- 


yond the middle, and the nervures near the outer margin brown; 
hind-wings dusky or blackish gradually fading into gray towards 
the base ; fringes spotted with brown and white; abdomen gray 
with brownish incisures. Expands one inch and three quarters 
to two inches and three quarters. Larva, as figured by Abbot, 
(Ins. Georg. p. 83, pl. 42,) chequered with brown and white spots, 
with a dorsal whitish line, and a short caudal horn. It eats the 


leaves of various kinds of pine, and enters the earth to transform. 


Mr. Leonard ir S me that the tongue-case of the Pupa is 
short, and buried so as not to rise above the leg-cases. 

‘For my specimen I am indebted to the Rev. L. W. Leonard, 
who raised it from a larva found on the pine in Burlington, Vt. 
In the cabinet of the Boston Society of Natural History there is 
a larger specimen, which was taken in North Carolina by Prof. 
Hentz ; the bands on the wings in the latter are less distinct than 
in my specimen. 

11. S. Ello. L. “Sy 

Gray ; fore-wings slightly indented on the outer margin, with 
a few irregularly scattered black dots, and a blackish stripe ex- 
tending from the base to the tip; hind-wings rust-red, with a 
broad black hind-border; thorax with five longitudinal black 
lines, and abdomen on each side banded with black. In the fe- 
male the blackish stripe on the fore-wings and the lines on the 
thorax are usually wanting or indistinct. Expands three and a 
quarter to four inches. Inhabits the Southern States, the West 
Indies, and South America. 

In the cabinet of the Boston Society of Natural History there 
is a specimen ofsthis tropical insect, which was captured by Prof. 
Hentz in the interior of North Carolina, where eventually the spe- 
cies may become common. According to Madam Merian (In- 
sectes de Surinam, page and plate 61) the darva, in Surinam, 
lives on the leaves of a species of Psidiwm or Guava, is of an ob- 
secure brown color, with a black dorsal line, some small irregular 
white spots on the sides, and the head and caudal horn purple. 

Vol. xxxvi, No, 2.—April-July, 1839, 38 


ac 


44> 


a4 


aay ar ee a ee ee ay ae 
298 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


The tongue-case of the pupa, from the figure, seems to be short 
and soldered to the breast. From the shape of its body and 
wings, this insect must belong to a very distinct group in the 
Linnean genus Sphinx; but, without knowing more of the larva 
and its transformations, I do not feel authorized to separate it 
from the present genus. 


Genus IV. Puivamprcus. H. 


The insects belonging to this genus cannot with propriety be 
included in the genus Cherocampa of Duponchel, or Metopsilus 
of Duncan, to which they approach the nearest ; and, therefore, 
I have considered it proper to institute a new genus for their 
reception. ‘They, indeed, seem to form a characteristic and typi- 
cal group, peculiar to the New World, being found only in the 
United States, Mexico, the West Indies, and the tropical parts of 
South America. The larve feed chiefly on the vine and the 
plants allied to it, which suggested the name of the genus, de- 
rived from gidéw, I love, and déunehos, a grape-vine. In those spe- 
cies whose transformations have passed under my own obser- 
vation, the larvae when young were furnished with a long slen- 
der caudal horn, recurved over the back like the tail of a dog ; 
when about half grown, the caudal horn is shed with the skin, 
and is replaced by a prominent, eye-like, polished spot. ‘The 
oblique spots on the sides of these larve slope downwards and 
backwards ; this is also the direction of the bands in the larvee 
of Pterogon ; but in those of all the other Sphinges the oblique 
lateral bands slope upwards and backwards. The pupa is elon- 
gated, attenuated at the fore-part, with a pretty long, robust, 
rough, anal horn, notched at the tip; the tongue-case is buried 


‘and soldered to the breast, and slightly longer than the wing- 


cases; and the fore-part of the abdominal rings is roughened 
with deep punctures. In the perfect state, the fore-wings are en- 
tire, acute, slightly emarginated below the tip in the males, and 
almost faleated, with a sinous inner margin, and well-marked 
hind-angle; the outer margin of the hind-wings is undulated or 
slightly crenated ; the shoulder-covers are large; and the abdo- 
men is short, thick, conical, and usually immaculate. Madame 
Merian in her Insectes de Surinam, plates 34 and 47, has repre- 
sented the transformations of three species of this genus; and 
two are also figured by Mr. Abbot in the Insects of Georgia, plates 
AO and 41. “ 


a ee ae ee 

a # | : r 

' Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 299 
LP. Vitis. L, ; 


Grayish flesh-colored ; fore-wings, except the anterior and 
outer margins, dark olive, with a broad stripe from base to tip, 
crossed by another from the middle of the inner margin, a small 
hook-shaped spot near the middle, and the nervures behind, of a 
pale flesh-color; hind-wings pale green at base, with the inner 
and hinder margins rose-red, a black spot near the middle and a 
black transverse band behind; a longitudinal line on the head 
and thorax, the shoulder-covers, two broad stripes on the abdo- 
men, and a round spot on each side of its base of a dark olive 
color. Expands about four inches. Larva, as represented by 
Abbot, (Ins. Georg. p. 79, pl. 40,) pale pea-green, longitudinally 
striped on the top of the back and transversely at the sides with 
brown, and with seven oval, oblique, cream-colored spots on each 
side. According to Linnaeus and Mad. Merian, it lives on the 
grape-vine ; but Mr. Abbot has represented it upon Jussi@a erecta. 
Inhabits.the Southern States, South America, &e. 

This insect fades very much by age, which changes the flesh- 
colored portions to a pale reddish buff or nankin color. My spe- 
cimens were received from Dr. J. E. Holbrook, of Charleston, 
S. Carolina.* as : 

2. P. Satellitia. L. = Licaon ? Cramer. 

Light olive, variegated with dark olive; fore-wings with an 
abbreviated band beyond the middle, an oblong patch on the ba- 
sal half of the hind margin including a square darker spot, a semi- 
oval spot near the tip, and a triangular one near the hind angle, 
of a dark olive color, and two approximated brownish dots near 
the middle ; hind-wings with a black spot near the middle of the 
inner margin, and a transverse blackish band behind, obsolete 
near the anal angle and ending there in a few small black spots; 


*T have received from Dr. H. B. Hornbeck, King’s physician, in the island of 
St. Thomas, W.1I., a species which is closely allied to P. Vitis; and, as it is not 
described in any of my books, f am happy to describe it here under the name of 

P. Hornbeckiana. 

Above olive gray ; fore-wings dark olive, with two silvery white stripes crossing 
each other in the middle of the wing, the longest stripe toothed near the base of 
the wing and obsolete thence to the middle, three of the nervures and a band on 
the outer margin whitish, and two approximated black dots near the middle; hind- 
wings on the inner margin pink, with a large square olive-colored spot, dusky be- 
hind with a black transverse band ; an olive-colored line on the head and thorax ; 
the shoulder-covers and first segment of the abdomen olive, bordered with white ; 
upper part of the abdomen olive, with a central gray line; outer sides of the legs 
and antenne White. Expands about four inches. Inhabits St. Thomas, W. I. 


ical 


300 Catalogue of “ th American Sphinges. 


a slender line on the head mi thorax, the shoulder-covers, and a 
transverse patch on the top of the first abdominal segment, dark 
olive. Expands from four to four inches and three quarters. 
Larva, when young, pea-green, with a slender recurved. caudal 
horn, and of the same color or of a clear light brown and without 
a tail afterwards, with six oblique broad oval cream-colored spots 
on each side of the body; feeds on the leaves of indigenous and 
exotic grape-vines, and on those of Ampelopsis hederacea, and 
enters the earth to transform. 
3. P. Achemon. Drury. = Crantor? F. 

Red-ash colored ; fore-wings with a few short transverse brown 
lines, and shaded aetith brown from the middle to the hind mar- 
gin, with a square spot near the middle of the inner margin, an- 
other near the tip, and a triangular spot near the hind angle, of a 
deep brown color ; hind-wings pink, with a deeper red spot near 
the inner margin, a dusky hind border, and a transverse row of 
small black spots; palpi and a large triangular spot on each shoul- 
der-cover deep brown. Expands from three to four inches. Larva 
pea-green with a slender recurved tail when young, of the same 
color or light brown and without a tail subsequently, with six 
oblique oblong oval scalloped cream-colored spots on each side. 
It eats the leaves of grape-vines and of the common creeper or 
Ampelopsis. 

This and the preceding species, in the larva state, are very in- 
jurious to our cultivated grape-vines. 


Genus V. Cue@rocamea. Duponchel. 


Metopsilus. Duncan. Deilephila. (section.) Boisduval. 

This genus was established, in 1835, by M. Duponchel,* to 
receive certain European Sphinges the larvae of which have the 
head and fore-part of the body retractile, the head being very 
small, and the first three segments abruptly diminishing in size 
from the fourth, which gives to the fore-part of the body a re- 
semblance to the head and snout of a hog. Hence the French 
name of these larva, cochonnes, and the generical name proposed 
by Duponchel, which is derived from orgos, a hog, and xéunn, a 
caterpillar. 'This peculiarity in the form of the larvae seems to 
have suggested to Linnaeus the names that he has given to two 


* Godart and Duponchel. Lepidoptéres de France. Supplement. Tome IT, p. 
159. (1835.) - ike 


s 
ad eo 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 301 


ay 
of the species, to wit, porcellus, the pig, and Elpenor, the name 
of one of the companions of Ulysses, who was changed to a hog 
by Circe. In the year 1836, Mr. Duncan,* probably not aware of 
the previous establishment of this genus, pointed out its charac- 
ters under the name of Metopsilus, derived from jéromor, the 
Jront, and yios, slender, in allusion to the form of this part of the 
larva. These naturalists, in separating this new group from the 
genus Sphinz, or rather from Deilephila, seem to have had only 
European insects under consideration ; but in America there are 
several species, which, so far as similarity of form and habits, in 
all their states, indicates a natural affinity, ought certainly to be 
included in the same generical group, from which, however, they 
will be excluded unless the characters of the genus are somewhat 
modified to receive them. Believing the genus to be a good one, 
and susceptible of modification, I have changed the characters of 
it in the synopsis prefixed to this catalogue, so as to admit our 
American species. In C. Pampinatrix, Cherilus, and versicolor, 
the antenne are rather short and slender, arcuated, and end ina 
very long slender hook; the fore-wings have the outer and inner 
margins sinuous, so as to exhibit prominent outer and hinder an- 
gles ; the hind-wings have a sinuous hind-margin, and a promi- 
nent angle near the tail; and the abdomen is rather short, and 
conical at tip. 'The darve of the first two of these species have 
the eleventh segment conically prolonged above, forming a base 
for a very short slightly curved caudal horn, and the sides of the 
body are marked with oblique bands sloping upwards and back- 
wards. 'They transform above ground, under fallen leaves, or 
slightly covered with grains of earth, connected by a few threads, 
so as to form a loose imperfect cocoon. The pupa is short, thick, 
obtusely rounded before, with the tongue-case imbedded, indis- 
tinct, and nearly as long as the wing-cases; the tail is rather 
blunt, and ends in along, slender point, which, under a mag- 
nifier, is found to be rough, and notched at the tip. 
sO: Pompinatric. Smith-Abbot. 

Light olive-gray above, shaded with olive ; fore-wings with a 
dot near the middle, a transverse band near the base, a broader 
band beyond the middle and a large triangular spot adjacent to 
each acute angle and almost forming a third band, of an olive 
color ; hind-wings rust-colored, dusky behind, and gray next the 


* Jardine’s Naturalist's Library. Entomology. Vol. iv, p.154. (1836.) 


a “ r a ee 


bd “ 


302 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. ~ 


“ 


anal angle; head and shoulder-covers dark olive ; and a white 
line on each side of the thorax at the origin of the wings. Ex- 
pands two and a half to two inches and three quarters. Larva pale 
green, with a longitudinal series of six triangular orange-colored 
spots on the top of the back and a darker green lateral line; sides 
below this paler, almost white, sprinkled with rusty dots, and 
with six oblique green bands; caudal horn short, bluish green. 
It varies in being of a clear light brown color, with the back 
bounded on each side by a darker longitudinal line, meeting at 
the origin of the caudal horn, the sides tinged with pink, and 


_ obliquely banded with brown. Feeds on the leaves of the grape- 


vine. Pupa clay-colored, sprinkled and punctured with black, 
and with the incisures of the abdomen black. 

Mr. Abbot, on plate 28 of his Insects of Georgia, has represen- 
ted this larva with the caudal horn too long and too much curved, 
and the eleventh segment not so much produced behind as it 
ought to be. This species, in the winged state, comes very near 
to Cramer’s Sphine Myron, which, from the figure, seems to 
want the spot in the middle of the fore-wings, and, according to 
Cramer, has a very short tongue, a character that does not apply 
to the Pampinatrix. The larva, above described, is one of the 
most injurious to our cultivated grape-vines; for, not satisfied 
with devouring the leaves, it nips off the fruit-stalks when the 
grapes are not more than half grown. I have gathered under a 
single grape-vine above a quart of unripe grapes which had been 
detached thus during one night by these larve. 

2. C. Cherilus. Cramer. = Azalee. Smith—Abbot. 

Rust-colored ; fore-wings rusty gray tinged with blue, with a 
dot near the middle, a few spots between it and the base, and a 
very broad band beyond the middle, rust-colored ; hind-wings 
rust-colored, dusky near the anal angle, with a whitish fringe ; a 
spot at the sides and a slender line on the top of the thorax, the 
edges of the shoulder-covers and of the abdominal segments 
white. In the male the broad band of the fore-wings is marked 
by a pale and a dark zigzag line so as nearly to divide it into two 
bands. Expands two and a half to three inches. Td, as rep- 
resented by Abbot, (Ins. Georg. p. 53, pl. 27,) varying in color, 
being either pale green, with a narrow duslry dorsal line, a green- 
ish line on each side, a blue-green caudal horn, and the sides 
obliquely banded with green; or clear pale red, with the lines 
and bands brownish, and the horn chestnut-colored. Mr. Abbot 


“4 


~ ir — Ty in, » _ -_- = A Geet ee” Y 
ii 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 303 


says that it lives on Azalea nudiflora, and that it spins itself up 
in a thin web on the leaves. Pupa like that of C. Pampinatriz. 
3. C. versicolor. H. 

Light olive, variegated with olive-green and sities fore-wings 
with narrow curved bands of white and olive-green, and a zigzag 
white line at tip; hind-wings rust-colored, with the inner and 
hind margin olive-green ; tips of the palpi, a line on each side of 
the head above the eyes, a longitudinal dorsal line from the front 
to the tail, and the edges of the collar and of the shoulder-covers, 
white ; two spots on the metathorax and the abdominal sezments 
on each side of the dorsal line tinged with dark buff. Expands 
about three inches. 

Although the larva and pupa of this species are unknown to 
me, I have ventured to place it in the genus Chwrocampa. The 
palpi are rather thicker towards the tip than those of the two pre- 
ceding species ; the fore-wings are not quite so much emarginated, 
and consequently, their angles are not quite so prominent. 'The 
under-side is quite as prettily variegated as the upper-side; that 
of the fore-wings being pale olive, tinged with deep buff near the 
hind-angle, with rust-red in the middle, and mottled and streaked 
with olive-green and white; that of the hind-wings olive-green, 
banded with white, dark olive, and buff. My specimen was taken 
sitting upon the leaves of Azalea viscosa ; it was quite fresh, and 
seemed to have been recently transformed. 

Dr. Hornbeck has presented to me a species, from St. Thomas, 
resembling the versicolor very nearly in color and form; but the 
palpi are more prominent, the antennee are not so much areuated, 
and the terminal hook is much shorter. It evidently leads to the 
genus Deilephila. 

A. C. tersa. IL. 

Grayish olive above ; fore-wings streaked from base to tip with 
numerous narrow mae and pale lines, and with a minute black 
dot near the middle; hind-wings black, paler round the edges, 
with the anal angle bad the fringe cream-colored, and a trans- 
verse row ohgmall wedge-shaped cream-colored spots near the 
hind-margin ; a reddish white line on the sides of the head and 
thorax ; shoulder-covers slightly edged above with rust-red ; sides 
of the abdoiten: and the body and wings beneath, rusty buff, 
streaked and sprinkled with dusky olive-gray. Expands two and 
three quarters to three inches. Larva, according to Abbot, (Ins. 
Georg. p. 75, pl. 38,) pea-green or brown, with seven white eye- 


— aL es - 
‘ 


a 


304 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


like spots having a red centre and a black margin and connected 
by a longitudinal white line, on each side of the body, and a red 
caudal horn. It lives on Spermacocce Hyssopifolia, and, like the 
other species, is transformed in an imperfect cocoon which it spins 
above ground. Pupa clay-colored, freckled with dusky spots. It 
inhabits the Southern States, the West Indies, and South America. 

I am indebted to Dr. J. E. Holbrook of Charleston, S. C., and 
to Dr. H. B. Hornbeck, of St. Thomas, W. [., for specimens. 
The antennz are straight, with a shorter terminal hook than in 
the three preceding species; the outer margin of the fore-wings 


is not so sinuous, and the abdomen is much more elongated, slen- 


der and pointed. It may bé necessary, hereafter, to institute a 
new genus for the reception of this and several other closely al- 
lied West-Indian and South-American species. 


Genus VI. Deimerpuina. Ochsenheimer. 


1. D. lineata. F. = Daucus. Cramer. 

Olive-brown ; fore-wings with a pale buff-colored stripe from 
the base of the inner margin to the tip, crossed by six white lines 
on the nervures, the outer margin ash-gray, the fringe and edge 
of the inner margin white ; hind-wings rose-pink, with a white 
spot near the inner margin, a black band at base, another near the 
hind-margin, and the fringe, white ; a white line on each side of 
the head above the eyes, and six lines, of the same color, placed in 
pairs, on the thorax; two rows of small black spots and a slender 
dorsal white line on the top of the abdomen, the sides reddish, 
with a short transverse black band on each side of the first ab- 
dominal segment, and a white band behind it, followed by a lat- 
eral series of alternately black and white spots. Expands from 
three to four inches. Larva pea-green, with a longitudinal series 


of nine or ten orange-colored oval spots encircled with black, on 


each side, and an orange-colored caudal horn. Feeds upon the 


leaves of the purslane and turnip, and of various other humble « 


plants, and buries itself in the ground to undergo its transforma- 
tions. Pupa light brown. : 

Contrary to what is usual among our Sphinges, there are two 
broods of this species in the course of one summer. This is the 
true Sphine lineata of Fabricius, described by bim as an Ameri- 
can insect in his “ Systema Entomologie.” His description of 
the thorax, “ striis tribus albis duplicatis,” applies exactly to our 
insect, and not to the Livornica of Europe, with which it is often 


“ee, oe 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 305. 


confounded, and which has only four white lines instead of six, — 
on the thorax. The larva of the latter, moreover, differs from 
that of our lineata. Dr. Hornbeck has sent to me from St. 
Thomas, W. I., specimens which vary a little, but are not speci- 
fically distinct from the lineata of the United States. 

2. D. Chamenerii. H. = Epilobii. H. (Catalogue. ) 

Olive-brown ; fore-wings with a sinuous buff-colored stripe, 
indented before, beginning near the base of the inner margin and 
extending to the tip, and a dark olive-brown tapering stripe behind 
it, a black spot at base, a white dash and a diamond-shaped black- _ 
ish spot before the middle ; hind-wings dark brown, with a trans- —— 
verse rose-colored band, including a white spot near the body and 
a deep red one before the anal angle ; inner edge of the fore-wings 
and fringe of the hind-wings whitish; palpi white below; a 
white line above each eye extending on the sides of the thorax, 
where itis bounded above by a black line ; abdomen with a dor- 
sal series of white dots, two black and two alternating white 
bands on each side of the base, and two narrow transverse white 
lateral lines near the tip; segments beneath edged with white. 
Expands from two and three quarters to three inches. Larva 
green, somewhat bronzed, dull red beneath; with nine round 
cream-colored spots, encircled with black, on each side, and a dull 
red caudal horn. It lives on the E’pilobiwm angustifolium, and 
(as Mr. Leonard informs me) transforms in the ground, without 
making a cocoon. Inhabits New Hampshire. 

The larva very closely resembles that of D. Gali, as figured 
by Roesel, ILI, Tab. VI, Fig. 1,2. For a specimen of it, and 
for the insects in the winged state, Iam indebted to Mr. Leonard, 
by whom they were raised. . This species is the American rep- 
resentative of D. Galii, and is also allied to several other Euro- 
pean species, such as D. Epilobii, Esula, Amelia, Tithymali, 
Dahlii, Euphorbia, &c. ; but Tam satisfied that it is perfectly dis- ; 
tinct from all of them; and the long description which I have 
given of it will render it easy to discover in what respects it differs 
from them. Moreover it is a legitimate species, which is more than 
can be said of all of the above-named European insects, some of 
which are now admitted to be hybrids. Mr. Kirby (Fauna Bo- 
reali-Americana, [V, p. 302,) describes a North American species, 
under the name of D. intermedia, which, according to him, has 
the stripe on the fore-wings of a pale rose color, and wants the 

Vol. xxxv1, No. 2.—April-July, 1839. 39 


a ee Pee ee a ee ee Oe Re ee Tee eee ee a? 
—— . vd 


306 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


dorsal series of white dots on the abdomen; in other respects it 
seems nearly allied to the Chamenerii. When my Catalogues of 
the Insects of Massachusetts were published I was not aware that 
the specific name Epilobii had been previously appropriated ; for 
the species to which I then applied it I have now substituted 
that of Chamenerii derived from 'Tournefort’s name for the genus 
E’pilobium. 


§ Legitine ano barbato. L. 


Family Il. MACROGLOSSIADA. H. The Macroglossians. 
Sesiide. Stephens. Sesiade. Kirby. 


* Wings angulated and indented ; antenne tapering at the end, 
with a long terminal hook. 


Genus VII. Prrrocon. Boisduval. 


P? inscriptum. H. : 
Ash-gray ; wings angularly indented ; first pair with two dusky 


bands near the base, connected on the inner margin by a blackish > 
line, a few undulated and zigzag transverse lines beyond the mid- 


dle, a dusky outer margin, a half-oval brown spot at tip, and a 
small deep brown patch including a white I[ near the tip; hind- 
wings reddish gray, with a dusky hind-margin; collar edged 
with brown; abdomen with two dorsal series of black dots. Ex- 
pands two inches. Inhabits Indiana. 

Of this species I have seen only two individuals, both females, 
having rather long slender and simple antenna, attenuated and 
curved so as to form a hook at the end. In the shape of the 
wings and distribution of the colors this insect nearly resembles 
some species of Symerinthus, from which genus it is excluded by 
the length of the tongue, which nearly equals that of the body. 
Pierogon Gaure, which I suppose to be the only legitimate spe- 
cies of the genus that has yet been discovered in the United 
States, is known to me only by Mr. Abbot’s figure. 

ey 
Genus VIII. Tuyrevs, Swainson. . 
1, 7. lugubris. L. 

Brown; wings sinuated and slightly angulated on the outer 

edge ; first pair with an oblique streak and an eye-like dot before 


i Athi, | a ~ et. = Se eee eae Oo ee ee 
is : . 5 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 307 


the middle, and a large triangular brown patch near the tip ; hind- 
wings with two or three obscure transverse brown lines; male 
with a triple-tufted tail. Expands two and a half to three 
inches. Inhabits the Southern States. Larva pale green, with E 
three darker longitudinal dorsal lines, nine oblique yellowish 
bands on each side, and a long, slender, nearly straight caudal 
horn. Mr. Abbot, from whose figure (Ins. Geog. p. 59, pl. 30) 
this description of the larva is taken, says that it feeds on Virgin- 
ian creeper, Ampelopsis Hederacea, and that it enters the earth to 
transform. 'The pupa is elongated, chestnut-brown, with a short 
anal point. 

My specimen of this insect was presented to me by Dr. J. E. 
Holbrook. It is closely allied to several South American species, 
figured by Cramer, such as his Megeus, Gorgon, &c. ; and, in- 
deed, the /'exeus may prove to be identical with it. 

M. Boisduval (Icones Hist. des Lépidoptéres d’Europe nou- 
veaux, Vol. II, p. 15) refers the Gorgon of Cramer [?] to his genus 
Pterogon; but, in my opinion, the genus Thyreus of Swainson, 
besides having the priority in point of time, is entitled to rank as 


_adistinct genus. Is the European Gorgon of Esper, Hiibner, 


and Ochsenheimer, quoted in Mr. Children’s Abstract of the 
Characters of Ochsenheimer’s Genera (Philos. Mag. N. S. Vol. V, a“ 
p. 37), the same as the Surinam species named Gorgon by Cra- 
mer? And if not, is M. Boisduval’s citation of Cramer’s name 
correct ? 
2. T. Abbotii. = Abbottii. Swainson. 

Chocolate-brown ; wings very much indented on the outer 
edge ; first pair with wavy and oblique blackish brown streaks, 
and a black dot near the middle; hind-wings yellow, with a 
broad blackish brown hind-border ; edge of the collar and a trans- 
verse stripe across the thorax black ; abdomen banded with black 
at base, tufted at the sides of the hinder segments, and terminated 
by a triple-tufted rust-colored tail. Expands from two and one 
third to nearly three inches. Larva, as figured by Abbot, 
(Swainson’s Zoological Illustrations, Part I, pl. 60) pea-green, 
with narrow dorsal brown lines, nine lateral oblique yellowish 
bands broadly bordered above with brown, and a long slender 
slightly curved caudal horn. It feeds on the grape-vine. Pupa 
chestnut-brown, with two yellowish abdominal incisures. « 


308 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


This species is not uncommon in the Southern States, and I 

have one specimen which was taken in Cambridge, Mass. 
3. T'? Nessus. Cramer. 

Dark brown; fore-wings with a sinuous and angular outer 
edge, a blackish brown band across the middle, another near the 
outer margin, and a small rust-red spot near the tip; hind-wings 
rust-red, with a dark brown hind-border; abdomen with two 
pale yellow bands behind the middle, four rust-red spots on each 
side, and a triple-tufted tail. Expands from two to two inches 
and a quarter. 

Of this species I have seen only females, in which the antenne 
are similar to those of the same sex in J’. Abbotiz. The palpi, 
however, are more acuminated, and approach in form to those of 
Sesia Pelasgus, &c. It ought, perhaps, to be included in anew 
genus, which, without a knowledge of the larva and pupa, I shall 
not venture to propose. 

* * Wings entire; antenne thickened towards the end, with 
a minute terminal hook. 


Genus IX. Sresia. F. (Syst. Gloss.) 


1. S. Pelasgus. Cramer. 

Wings transparent and iridescent, with a broad purple-brown 
border and nervures; antennee and palpi, above, blue-black ; 
head and thorax olive; breast and legs eream-white ; abdomen 
purple-brown below, ochre-yellow above, with the two middle 
segments and a spot behind them purple-brown, and three lateral 
white spots; tip with a central fan-shaped brown tail, and two 
black tufts on each side of it. Expands from two to two inches 
and one quarter. 

2. P. difinis. Boisduval. = fuciformis. Smith—Abbot. — 

Wings transparent and iridescent, with a narrow blackish bor- 
der and nervures, and a rust-red spot at tip; antenne: and palpi 
black above ; thorax and breast covered with pale yellow hairs; 
abdomen black above, with two longitudinal patches of yellow 
hairs, the two middle segments black, the next two covered with 
yellow hairs, and the tip with a fan-shaped tail, which is yellow 
in the middle and tufted with black on each side. Expands from 
one inch and three quarters to two inches. Larva, according to 
Abbot, (Ins. Georg. p. 85, pl. 43.) pale pea-green, reddish beneath, 
with a longitudinal dorsal line, a lateral pale yellow stripe, and a 


| 
‘ 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 309 


short recurved caudal horn. In Georsia, a feeds upon the Ta- 
bernemontana Amsonia, and forms an imperfect cocoon on the 
surface of the ground. Pupa brown with the abdominal incisures 
ochre-yellow. 

My specimens were presented to me by Mr. Leonard, who cap- 
tured them in New Hampshire, where the T'abernemontana does 
not grow. ‘The larva must, therefore, be sought upon some other 
plant; perhaps it may be found upon the Apocynum. M. Bois- 
duval has named and given a figure of this species in his Hist. 
Nat. des Insectes Lépidopteres, Vol. I, pl. 15, fig. 2; and, as it is 
evidently distinct from the European fuciformis, I have retained 
the name proposed by M. Boisduval, although he has not estab- 
lished a claim to it by any description of the insect. Mr. Kirby’s 
S. ruficaudis (Faun. Bor. Amer. IV, p. 303,) is evidently different 
from this species, and comes nearer to the Pelasgus, to which, 
however, the description does not very well apply, in many 
respects. 


Family Il. AGERIADA. H. The Algerians. 
Genus X. Trocuirum. (Scop.) Stephens. 


~ Sesia. F. (Entom. Syst.) Latr. Boisd. 4igeria. F. (Syst. Glossat. ) 


1. 7. marginatum. H. 

Black ; wings transparent ; first pair with a broad border, the 
tip, and a transverse band beyond the middle pale brown ; hind- 
wings with a broad black fringe ; antenne black ; two Joni gies 
dinal lines on the thorax, hind —— of the akdanieeal seg- 
ments, orbits, palpi, and ips) except at base, yellow. Expands 
rather more than one inch and a quarter. 

This insect was taken in New-Hampshire, and presented to me 
by the Rev. L. W. Leonard. 

2. T. tibiale. H. 

Brownish ; wings transparent; first pair with a narrow border 
and an abbreviated band beyond the middle pale brown ; hind- 
wings with a narrow brownish fringe; antenne black + orbits, 
two lines on the thorax, edges of the abdominal segments, and 
tibie yellow; hindmost tibie thickly covered with yellow hairs. 
Expands one inch and a half. The yellow bands on the abdo- 
men are much narrower and less bright than in the marginat 

Found in New-Hampshire on the Populus candicans, and pre~ 
sented to me by Mr. Leonard. 


— a ee ee ee 2 ee Se ee ee 
— t 


310 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


3. T. denudatum. 

Chestnut-brown ; fore-wings opaque, with a large triangular 
transparent spot adjacent to the outer hind-angle, a rust-red spot 
at base and another near the middle; hind-wings transparent, 
with the margin and fringe brown, and a rust-red costal spot ; 
orbits, edges of the collar, incisures of the abdomen, tibize, and 
tarsi dull yellow; antennze brownish above, rust-yellow at tip 
and beneath. Expands from one inch and a quarter to more than 
one inch and a half. The transparent spots at the tips of the 
fore-wings have the appearance of being caused by the removal 
of the colored scales. 

The specimens, from which the descriptions of these three spe- 
cies are drawn up, had become somewhat oily, and it is possible 
that some of their characteristic markings may have become ob- 
literated. tr 

Genus XT. ernta. F. (Syst. Glossat. ) 


Sesia. F. (Entom. Syst.) Latr. Boisd. Trochiliwm. Scopoli. 


1. Ai. tricincta. H. (Catalogue. ) 

Blue-black ; fore-wings opaque ; hind-wings transparent, with 
the border, fringe, and a short transverse line near the middle 
black ; palpi at tip, collar, a spot on each shoulder, and three 
bands on the abdomen yellow; antenne short, black; four pos- 
terior tibie banded with orange ; tarsi yellow, tipped with black ; 
tail flat, with two longitudinal yellow lines. Expands from one 
inch to one inch and two lines. 

This species seems to come near to the European Asiliformis ; 
but the male has only three yellow abdominal bands; while in 
the Asiliformis there are five bands in the male sex. The an- 
tenn are shorter and thicker than in the following species, and 
are furnished beneath with a double row of short pectinations or 
teeth, which are thickly fringed with hairs. The sexes were 
captured together upon the common tansy. 

2. AS. Cucurbita. H. (New-England Farmer.) 

Fore-wings opaque, lustrous olive-brown ; hind-wings transpa- 
rent, with the margin and fringe brown ; antenne greenish black ; 
palpi pale yellow, with a little black tuft near the tip; thorax 
olive ; abdomen deep orange, with a transverse basal black band, 
and a longitudinal row of five or six black spots; tibize and tarsi 
of the hind-legs thickly fringed on the inside with black, and on 


ae 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 311 
» 


the outside with long orange-colored hairs ; spurs covered with 
white hairs. Expands from thirteen to fifteen lines. Larva, 
similar in form and color to those of other species of the genus, 
lives in the pith of squash and pumpkin vines, which it leaves at 
the root, and forms in the ground a cocoon composed of grains of 
earth cemented by a gummy matter. Pupa, by the aid of the 
abdominal denticulations, almost entirely excluded from the co- 
coon during the last transformation. 

The sudden death of the squash-vines, during midsummer, is 
occasioned by the ravages of the larva of this insect. For further 
particulars relating to it, a communication, by the author, in the 
New-England Farmer, Vol. VIII, p. 33, for 1828, may ‘be con- 
sulted. 'This species seems to be closely allied to, but sufficiently 
distinct from the tibialis of Drury, and the Bombiliformis of 
Cramer. 

3. AZ. caudata. H. = fulvicornis, H.* (Catalogue. ) 

Brown ; male with the fore-wings transparent from the base to 
the middle ; hind-wings transparent, with a brownish border, 
fringe, and subcostal spot ; antennae, palpi, collar, and tarsi tawny 

_ yellow ; hind-legs yellow, end of the tibix and first tarsal joint 
fringed with tawny yellow and black hairs; tail slender, eylindri- 
cal, nearly as long as the body, tawny yellow, with a little black 
tuft on each side at base. he female differs from the male in hav- 
ing the fore-wings entirely opaque; the hind-legs black, with a 
rusty spot in the middle of the tibiae, and fringed with black; cau- 
dal tuft of the ordinary form and size. Expands from one inch 
to one inch and three lines. Larva inhabits the stems of our 
indigenous currant, Ribes Floridum. 

The Zygena caudata, of Fabricius, has a somewhat similar 
tail, but does not belong to the genus Algeria. 

4, 42. Syringe. H. 

Brown ; fore-wings with a transparent line at base ; hind-wings 
transparent, with a brown border, fringe, and subcostal spot ; an- 
tenn, palpi, collar, first and second pairs of tarsi, and middle of 
the intermediate tibie rust-red ; middle of the tibie and the tarsi 
of the hind-legs yellow, Expands one inch and two lines. Larva 
lives in the trunks of Syringa vulgaris, the common lilac. 


Pa 
* Credited to Mr. Say, in the Catalogue of the Insects of Massachusetts, by 
mistake, 


312 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


5. Al. evitiosa. Say. 
Steel-blue ; male with the wings transparent, the margins and 
fringes, and a band beyond the middle of the first pair steel-blue ; 
palpi, collar, edges of the shoulder-covers and of the abdominal 
segments, two bands on the tibia including the spurs, anterior 
tarsi, and lateral edges of the wedge-shaped tail pale yellow ; 
Jemale with the fore-wings opaque ; the hind-wings transparent, 
with a broad opaque front-margin and the fringe purple-black ; 
antenna, palpi, legs, and abdomen steel-blue, the latter encircled. 
in the middle by a broad saffron-colored band. Male expands 
from nine to thirteen lines; female from fifteen to seventeen lines. 
Larva inhabits the trunks and roots of the peach and cherry 
trees, beneath the bark. 

The larva is the well-known peach-tree borer, which annually 
injures to a great extent or destroys numbers of these trees. For 
the means of preventing its ravages, see Say’s Entomology, Vol. 
II, and my communication in the New England Farmer, Vol. V, 
p. 33. The insects above described, though very dissimilar, are 
really the sexes of one species. I have raised many of them from 
the larve, and have also repeatedly captured them, in connection, 
on the trunks of peach and cherry trees. 

6. AZ. fulvipes. H. (Catalogue. ) 

Blue-black ; wings transparent, margin and fringes, and a trans- 
verse band beyond the middle of the first pair blue-black ; anten- 
ne black, yellowish at the end ; palpi beneath, a spot on the tho- 
rax under the origin of the wings, intermediate and hindmost 
tibie, all the tarsi, and the basal half of the underside of the ab- 
domen orange-colored ; hindmost tibie somewhat thickened by a 
covering of tawny hairs. Expands thirteen lines. 

7. Al. Tipuliformis. L. 

Blue-black ; wings transparent, with the margin and fringes 
blackish ; the first pair with a transverse blue-black band beyond 
the middle, and a broad one at tip streaked with copper-color ; 
antenne black ; palpi beneath, collar, upper edges of the shoulder- 
covers, a spot on each side of the breast, three narrow rings on 
the abdomen, ends of the tibia and the spurs pale golden yellow ; 
tai] fan-shaped, blue-black. The male has an additional trans- 
verse yellow line between the second and third abdominal bands. 
Expands from seven and a half to nine inches. Larva lives in 
the pith of the currant-bush. 


4 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 313 


This destructive insect is not a native, but has been introdu- 

ced from Europe with the cultivated currant-bush. 
8. A. scitula. H. 

Purple-black ; wings transparent, with the margins golden yel- 
low; the first pair with a narrow purple-brown band beyond the 
middle and a broad one at the tip ornamented with golden yel- 
low lines; fringes blackish ; front and orbits covered with silvery 
white hairs; antenne black; palpi, collar, upper edges of the 
shoulder-covers, a narrow band at the base of the abdomen, a dor- 
sal spot behind it, a broad band around the middle, the lateral 
edges of the fan-shaped tail, anterior cox, sides of the breast, 
tibie and tarsi except at the joints, with the spurs golden yellow. 
Expands about eight lines. 

This beautiful little species is easily distinguished by the prev- 
alence of yellow on the under-side ti body and legs. 

_ 9. Ai. Pyri. H. (New-England Farmer.) 

Purple-black ; wings transparent, with the margins, a narrow 
band beyond the middle of the first pair, and a broad one at tip 
purple-black, the latter streaked with brassy yellow; antenne 
blackish; palpi beneath, collar, edges of the shoulder-covers, a 
broad band across the middle of the abdomen, a narrow one be- 
fore it, an indistinct transverse line at base, the posterior half of 
the abdomen beneath, the sides of the breast, anterior coxe, legs 
except the joints of the tibie, and the lateral edges of the wedge- 
shaped tail golden yellow. Expands six lines anda half. Larva 
lives under the bark of the pear-tree. 

For some further particulars respecting this species, see my 
communication in the New-England Farmer, Vol. TX. p. 2, 1830. 

Mr. Edward Doubleday presented me with a new species of 
AAgeria which he captured in Florida, and Dr. J. W. Randall has 
still another which was taken in Massachusetts. 'To these gen- 
tlemen belongs the right of first naming and describing these spe- 
cies which they have discovered, and I do not feel myself author- 
ized to anticipate them. 


Genus XII. Tryris. Illiger. 


T. maculata. H. (Catalogue.) 

Brownish black, sprinkled with rust-yellow dots; hind-mar- 
gins of the wings deeply scalloped, with the edges of the inden- 
tations white ; each of the wings with a transparent white spot, 

Vol. xxxv1, No, 2.—April-July, 1839. 40 


+ 


he. 


314. Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


which in the fore-wings is nearly oval and slightly narrowed in 
the middle, in the hind-wings larger, kidney-shaped and almost 
divided in two; palpi beneath, a spot before the anterior coxe, 
the tips of the tarsal joints above, and the hind-edges of the last 
three or four abdominal segments white. Expands from six to 
eight lines. 

This species comes very 1 near to the fenestrata of Eurgpe, but 
is sufficiently distinct from it. 

Mr. Doubleday has presented to me a much larger species of 
Thyris, which was captured by him in Florida, and was new to 
my collection. There is a figure of it in M. Boisduval’s Hist. 
Nat. Ins. Lépidopt. Vol. I, pl. 14, where it is named 7’. lugubris. 
This name has not yet received the proper sanction of a descrip- 
tion ; but, taking into consideration the circumstances under 
which this nondescript came into my possession, I do not think 
proper to describe it myself at this time. 


Tribe I. SPHINGES ADSCITZ. L. 
Family IV. AGARISTIADE. H. The Agaristians. 
Hesperi-Sphinges. Latr. Agaristides. Boisd. Zygzenide. Kirby. 
Genus XIII. Atypra. (Hiibner.) Kirby. 


Zygena and Sesia. F. Agarista. Latr. 


A. octomaculata. F. 

Black ; with two sulphur-yellow spots on the fore-wings, and 
two white ones on the hind-wings; shoulder-covers and front 
sulphur-yellow ; first and second pairs of tibie thickly covered 
with orange-colored hairs. Expands from eleven to fifteen lines. 
Larva, as represented by Abbot, (Ins. Georg. p. 8, pl. 44,) cylin- 
drical, elongated; yellow, with transverse rows of black points, 
slightly hairy, and without a caudal horn. It lives on the grape- 
vine, and encloses itself in a cocoon in the earth. 

In some individuals there is a white spot near the end of the 
abdomen, and the inner white spots of the hind-wings are en- 
larged and cover the whole base of the wings. Mr. Kirby (Fauna 
Bor. Amer. IV, p. 301, pl. 4, fig. 5,) has described another species 
of Alypia, a native of Nova Scotia and Canada, and names it A. 
MacCullochii. 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 315 


Family V. ZYGENIADE. H. The Zygenians. 


Zycenide. Stephens. Zygénides. Boisd. 


Hitherto I have not met with any insects in the United States 
belonging to this family ; but Dr. Hornbeck has sent to me, from 
St. Thomas, a species which not only seems to be undescribed, 
but must constitute a new genus, the characters of which are 
given in the Synopsis, and those of the species in the note below.* 


ei 
Family VI. GLAUCOPIDIDE. H. The Glaucopidians. 


Procrides and Zygénides. Boisd. Zyganiade. H. Cat. Cte- 
nuchide. Kirby. Callimorphe. Westwood. 


Genus XV. Procnris. F. 
Ino. Leach. 


P. Americana. = Aglaope Americana? Boisd. = dispar. 
H. (Cat.) 

Blue-black ; with a saffron-colored collar, and a fan-shaped, 
somewhat bilobed, black caudal tuft. Expands from ten lines to 
one inch. Larva, according to Prof. Hentz, hairy, green, with 
black bands. It is gregarious, aud devours the leaves of the 
grape-vine, and undergoes its transformations in an oblong-oval, 
tough, whitish cocoon, which is fastened to a leaf. 


a an 


* Genus XIV. Masrticocera. H. 


From pcork, @ whip or thong, and xéoa, horns ; the antenne being thickened 
in the middle and tapering at each end like a whip lash. In the West Indian 
insect to which I have applied this name, the antenne agree, in the main, with 
those of /Egocera, as described by Latreille and other authors; but most of its 
other characters disagree, and it has an entirely different form from that of the 
type of the genus. ‘These characters are so very striking, that I have ventured to 
propose this new genus, although the transformations of the species are unknown 
to me. 

M. vespina. I. 

Light rust-brown ; wings immaculate ; collar, first abdominal segments above, 
third below, and a triangular spot on each side, white; head, thickened part of 
the antenne, edge of the thorax behind the collar, and a large triangular spot on 
each side of the second abdominal segment, black; breast black, spotted with 
white; first and second pairs of thighs, except at base, middle of the hind-pair, 
and extremity of the tibiw, black. Expands from one and a half to one inch and 
three quarters. Inhabits the island of St. Thomas, W. I. 

The Zygena Eunolphus of Fabricius, and the Pretus of Cramer are probably 
congenerical and closely allied to this species. 


an 
Oe 


ee ee Se eee ee ee! Pee ee ee a ee ee 
Se. ake“. ct i cote eh jel ess tte a” i a 


316 Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


This insect appears to be the same as the one figured in Gué- 
rin’s Iconographie and in Griffith’s Cuvier, under the name of 
Aglaope Americana, Boisduval; but it is not an Aglaope, for it 
has a distinct, spirally-rolled tongue. 


Genus XVI. Guaucoris. F. 


The insects which, at present, I refer to this genus, belong to 
Zygena of the Entomologia Systematica of Fabricius ; whose 
Z. Gilaucopis, if it was not actually the type, furnished the ge- 
nerical name which this author gave, in his last work, the Sys- 
tema Gilossatorum, to this group of his former Zygene. Sev- 
eral of the insects, which Mr. Westwood, in his edition of Drury’s 
Illustrations, refers to the genus Callimorpha, without doubt be- 
long to the family Glaucopidide. Mr. Kirby has placed one spe- 
cies, after Lithosia, in a family which he names Ctenuchide. 
These insects seem to me much more nearly allied to the Sphin- 
ges adscite than to the Phalene of Linneus, with which also 
they agree in their diurnal flight, and in their transformations, so 
far as the latter are known. Although they do not appear to be 
strictly congenerical, I prefer to arrange them, for the present, un- 
der the genus Glancopis, in groups or subgenera, which, when 
the larvee and their transformations are better known, it may be 
proper to raise to the rank of independent genera. 


Subgenus Syntomeida. TH. 

Antenne bipectinated, tapering at each end. ‘Tongue moderate, spirally rolled. 
Palpi short, not extending beyond the clypeus, slightly curved and hairy at base, 
covered with short close scales; terminal joint somewhat acuminated. Wings 
elongated, hind-pair small, with the discoidal cell closed behind by an acute-an- 
gled nervure, the anterior branch of which crosses the subcostal nervure and ends 
near the tip of the wing. Body cylindrical, rounded and not tufted behind, and 
with a rounded tubercle on each side of the first abdominal segment. Spurs of the 
posterior tibie four, small, and approximated. 

1. G. (S.) Ipomee. = Sesia Ipomee. Emler, in letters. 

Fore-wings greenish black, with three yellowish white dots 
near the front margin and two others close together beyond the 
middle ; hind-wings violet-black, with a transparent colorless spot 
at base ; body tawny orange; antenne and head black, the latter 
spotted with orange ; a broad stripe on the shoulder-covers, a 
transverse spot on the thorax behind, and the incisures of the ab- 
domen, black; legs violet-black ; coxw beneath, and a spot on 
the thighs, orange-colored. Expands one inch and three quarters. 


ae ee i i) ee ee ee i er se re . = e. Ff =. © _ ro 
+ _ af . | — ~ oe , Pe —_ a — 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 317 


I received this species from Dr. A. G. Gmler, of Savannah, 
Georgia, and have adopted the specific name that he gave to it, 
and from which it is to be presumed that the larva lives upon the 
Ipomea. The Melanthus and Nycteus of Cramer resemble it 
somewhat, and are probably congenerical with it. 


Subgenus Cosmosoma. Hubner. 

Antenne long, very much attenuated at the end, and with a double row of very 
short pectinations beneath. ‘Tongue moderate, spirally rolled. Palpi long, eurved 
upwards, and extending beyond the clypeus; the joints cylindrical, covered with 
small scales, a little hairy at base, and obtuse at tip. Wings elongated, hind pair 
rather small, and with the discoidal cell and nervures as in Syntomerda. Body 
cylindrical, rounded and not tufted behind, and with a small tubercle on each side 
of the first abdominal segment. Spurs of the hindmost tibiee four and of moderate 
$1Ze. 

2. G.(C.) Omphale. Hiibner (according to Say). = Aige- 
ria Omphale. Say. — 

Scarlet ; wings transparent, veined and bordered with black, 
the first pair with a small black subcostal spot, and the black bor- 
der very much widened at tip; head azure-blue ; antenne black, 
with the tips white ; two terminal joints of the palpi, and a line 
on each shoulder-cover black; four azure-blue dots in a transverse 
row on the fore-part of the thorax ; last four segments of the ab- 
domen black, with four azure-blue spots on each side, and a dor- 
sal black line extending from the middle of the second segment 
including in it seven azure-blue spots ; belly and outside of the 
second pair of tibie black. Expands one inch and a half or more. 
Inhabits Florida. 

For a specimen of this beautiful insect I am indebted to Mr. 
Doubleday. It cannot belong to the genus AZgeria, to which it 
was referred by Mr. Say, in his American Entomology, where it 
is figured. As Hibner’s works are not accessible to me, I have 
drawn up the characters of the subgenus Cosmosoma from the 
specimen of the Omphale in my possession. Zygena Androm- 
acha of Fabricius and the Caunus of Cramer probably belong to 
the same subgenus. 

Subgenus Lycomorpha. H. 


Antenne rather short, curved, toothed or with very short pectinations on each 
side, which give to the joints, when seen from beneath, a cordate or bilobed appear- 
ance. Tongue about half as long as the body, spirally rolled, Palpi short, hardly 
extending beyond the clypeus, nearly horizontal and but slightly curved at base, 
and covered with large and rather loose scales. Wings not elongated, rounded at 
tip; discoidal cell of the hind pair long, extending nearly to the hind-margin, and 


318 ~ Catalogue of North American Sphinges. 


closed by an oblique nervure. Body rather short, nearly cylindrical, not tufted 
behind. Spurs of the hind-legs three, two at the end and one beyond the middle 
of the tibie. 


3. G. (L.) Pholus. Drury. 

Blue-black, or deep indigo-blue, wings at base and shoulder- 
covers orange-colored. Expands fourteen or fifteen lines. Larva, 
according to Mr. Leonard, pale green, with yellowish spots run- 
ning into the green (in a specimen preserved in spirit, pale green 
mottled with red ;) head black, covered with a few short whitish 
hairs ; body sparingly clothed with rather long hairs, which are 
white at the sides and black on the back, the hairs arising singly 
from minute tubercles, those on the third segment the longest 
and with the others before them directed forwards. It eats the 
lichens on stone heaps and walls in shady places, and undergoes 
its transformations in a thin silky cocoon. 

This pretty species is often seen flying in considerable numbers 
in the fields, throughout the day, and at first sight would be mis- 
taken for a species of Lycus. 


Subgenus. Ctenucha. Kirby. 


Antenne pectinated on both sides in the males, thickened in the middle with 
extremely short pectinations in the females. Tongue moderate, spirally rolled. 
Palpi slender, rising beyond the clypeus, nearly cylindrical and obtuse, covered 
with small close scales, and somewhat hairy at base. Wings in some rather nar- 
row, in others widened and rounded at the tip; discoidal cell of the hind pair 
closed by an angulated nervure. Body nearly cylindrical, enlarged a little behind 
in the females, with a few minute tufis at the sides of the segments, obtuse and 
slightly tufted at tip; first abdominal segment with a conspicuous tubercle on each 
side. Spurs of the hind-legs small, four in number, two terminal, and two beyond 
the middle of the tibia. ) 


4. G.(C.) semidiaphana. H. 

Slate-colored; wings rather narrow and subacute; first pair 
brownish slate, with the anterior edge clay-colored ; hind-wings 
semitransparent in the middle ; head and antenne black ; collar, 
front edge of the breast, and base of the palpi, orange-colored. 
Expands fifteen to sixteen lines. Inhabits the Middle and South- 
ern States. 

Dr. Charles Pickering, several years ago, gave me specimens of 
this insect, which he captured near Philadelphia; there are also 
specimens of it, in the cabinet of the Boston Society of Natural 
History, taken in North Carolina by Prof. Hentz; and I have re- 
cently received several individuals, in fine preservation, which 
were found by Mr. Doubleday in Florida. his species some- 


Catalogue of North American Sphinges. , 319 


what resembles, in form and color, the Thetis of Linneeus and 
Drury. 
5. G.(C.) Latreillana. = Ctenucha Latreillana. Kirby. 

Fore-wings dusky drab, with a silky lustre, and the anterior 
edge clay-colored; hind-wings rusty black; fringes of all the 
wings white, interrupted with black in the middle; top of the 
head, orbits behind, base of the palpi, front of the breast, and a 
spot on the fore-part of each shoulder-cover orange-colored ; tho- 
rax, abdomen, and coxee, glaucous or greenish blue with a silky 
lustre ; belly and legs light brown. Expands almost two inches. 
Inhabits New-Hampshire and Maine, and, according to Mr. Kirby, 
Canada and Nova-Scotia. ¥ 

I am indebted to the Rev. L. W. Leonard for one specimen, 
taken by him in New-Hampshire, and to Dr. J. W. Randall for 
another from Maine. Although they are rather smaller than Mr. 
Kirby’s Latreillana, and do not exactly agree with the descrip- 
tion in the Fauna Bor. Amer. Vol. IV, p. 305, I think that they 
must be referred to his species. 'This insect has precisely the 
same antenne and nearly the same form as the Glaucopis of 
Drury and Fabricius, stated by the latter author to be a native of 
Carolina, and is, without doubt, generically allied to it, and prob- 
ably also to several other American species, such as the Py/lotis 
and collaris of Drury. ‘The following species, from the figures 
given of them, seem also to belong to the same generical group; 
viz. Glauca, Celadon, Circe, Calestina, Asterea, Cephise, Alec- 
ton, Cassandra, and Porphyria of Cramer. 


Subgenus Psychomorpha. H. (Catalogue) = Callimorpha. Westwood. 
Antenne in the males pectinated on both sides, the pectinations rather short, 
setaceous in the female, according to Drury. Tongue moderate, spirally rolled. 
Palpi slender, nearly horizontal, extending a little beyond the clypeus, covered 
with loose hairs so as to conceal the joints. Wings short, somewhat triangular, 
with the outer margins rounded; discoidal cell of the hind pair short, closed by a 
sinuous nervure. Body slender, hairy at tip. Iegs short, hairy ; spurs of the hind 
tibie three, slender, nearly concealed by the hairs. 
6. G.(P.) Epimenis. Drury. = Psychomorpha maculata. 
H. (Catalogue. ) 

Brownish black ; fore-wings sprinkled in spots with light blue 
scales, which form a narrow band near the hinder margin, and 
marked with a large yellowish white patch beyond the middle ; 
hind-wings with a broad dark orange-red band behind the mid- 
dle. 'The white spot of the fore-wings is indented towards the 


ee ee, ee ee Oe ae eee ee ee eee re ae 
. 
a Ps 


=) >» » " 
320 American Amphibia. 


middle of the wing, and on the under side there is a small trian- 
gular spot near the base of the wing, and a short transverse one 
beyond it which unites behind with the angular projection of the 
large white patch. Expands rather more than one inch. 

I captured this beautiful insect on the wing at midday, in Mil- 
ton, Mass., and have since seen it flying among the shrubbery at 
Mount Auburn, Cambridge. 'There is also a broken specimen, 
among Mr. Say’s insects, which was taken in Indiana. My spe- 
cimen is a male, as is also the ¢ one in Mr. Say’s cabinet, and they 
have the anal organs very and hairy. Drury’s specimen 
seems to have been a female, for he says the antenna are seta- 
ceous. It is possible that this insect is not one of the Sphinges 
adscite ; but I place it here on account of its diurnal habits, and 
a certain resemblance, more easily seen than described, which it 
bears to some of the Glaucopidida. It does not agree generically 
with the types of Latreille’s genus Callimorpha. When my 

Catalogue of the Insects of Massachusetts was published, I had 
not seen a colored copy of Drury’s Illustrations, and failed to re- 
cognize this insect in the uncolored one which I used. 


Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 1, 1839. 


Arr. IV.—On American Amphibia ; by Asm. Sacer, M. D. 


Detroit, (Mich.) March 5, 1839. 
TO PROF, SILLIMAN. 


Sir—Ir the following observations upon some of the American 
Amphibia, and description of some new ones, appear worthy of 
publication, you will confer a favor by inserting them in your val- 
uable journal. 

The structure and arrangement of the teeth, are of acknowl- 
edged classific importance in distributing animals in a natural 
series, and like most other characters are of variable importance 
in different classes, depending upon the constancy and generality 
of their existence, structure and arrangement. In the Class Am- 
phibia, Lat., Order Batrachia, Brongn., they are generally regarded 
as of generic value, (and here let me say that I have frequently 
verified the truth of the observations of Drs. Davy, Weber and 
others with regard to the biauriculate structure of the heart in this 


ge 


a 


Vie -. 


American Amphibia. — 321 


class, by which the ordinal character of M. Brongn. is invalida- 
ted,) thus Rana and Hyla are distinguished from Bufo, by the 
presence of teeth in the upper jaw, and in two transverse processes 
of the palate, generally anterior to the internal nares, sometimes 
between, but never behind them, the toads being quite destitute 
of both. 'The Salamandrae possess not only teeth in both jaws, 
but also palatines, which according to most authors, are arranged 
in two longitudinal rows. ‘This character does not agree with 
my observations upon our Salamandrae. Indeed so varied is the 
arrangement of the palatine teet those American Salamanders 
which have fallen under my observation, that if much importance 
be attached to this character, they might be divided into several 
sub-genera. My observations have not been sufficiently exten- 
sive, to enable me to determine whether a classification founded 
upon agreement in the general dental arrangement of the pala- 
tines in this class, would be natural or coincident with one based 
upon a general correspondence in all the generic characters. F'u=* 
ture investigation may settle that point. At all events it is believ- 
ed that the modifications in the arrangement of the palatine teeth 
from their constancy will be found to be of essential importance 
in determining species, the more so from the admitted fact that 
the color of these animals (a character much employed for this 
purpose) is extremely variable. I shall content myself by sub- 
mitting the result of my investigations. 'The palatine teeth of 
the Salamandra erythronota, Raf., are arranged in two longitudi- 
nal palatine rows, slightly diverging as they proceed backward. 
This is the only species that agrees generically with the description. 
The Sal. interrupta, Gr., has two longitudinal patches of palatine 
teeth, each composed of several rows, nearly in juxta-position cen- 
trally. In the Sal. agilis, there is but a single longitudinal patch 
of palatines composed of several rows so arranged as to form very 
acute angles pointing forwards. ‘The Sal. variolata, Gill., has be- 
side an armation of the longitudinal palatine ridge similar to the 
last, two partial rows on the transverse palatine ridge, interrupted 
in the middle, curved backward and joined to the longitudinal 


“patch. 'Those of the Sal. maculata, Gr., are similar to the last, 
“but the longitudinal patch has fewer rows. ‘The palatines of the 


Sal. rubriventris, Gr., differ only from the Sal. variolata in having 

the transverse and ibnpicudipal rows separate. The Sal. bilineata, 

has no longitudinal rows, and the straight transverse row has a 
Vol. xxxvi, No. 2.—April-July, 1839. _ 41 


*. 


& 


322 American Amphibia. 


wide central interruption. The Sal. Zwrida, has an uninterrupted 
transverse palatine row forming an obtuse angle directed forward. 
The Sal. subviolacea, Bart., corresponds with the last in having 
but a transverse row, but may easily be distinguished by this row 
being undulating with a slight central angle. The palatine teeth 
in all are curved backward and very acute. It will be perceived 
that these nine species may be divided somewhat into three groups, 
founded upon the possession of longitudinal or transverse teeth 
only, or both combined. In nearly all, the general structure of 
the tongue is similar to that of the Ranae, but is more closely 
bound down ; the sides and the posterior extremity which is quite 
short and rounded, are free but not capable of being -projected 
from the mouth as in the Ranae. 

In the Sal. lurida and subviolacea, it is almost perfectly bound 
down all its length. I would here remark that the expression, 
“tongue not attached at the bottom of the gullet but to the edges 
of the jaw,” found in the works of the most eminent authors, 
when applied to the Ranae, conveys an erroneous idea. I believe 
in all the species of the restricted genus Rana, the tongue is com- 
posed of two muscles a hyo-glossus and genio-glossus, the former 
attached to the horns of the hyoid cartilage, the other to the an- 
gle of the lower jaw. Such is the structure in all the species 
of Rana, Bufo and Salamandra I have examined. In the male 
Bufo Americanus, Le Conte, as well as in the Hylae, there is a 
sac beneath the tongue opening by an orifice on each side of 
it; a fact not mentioned in any of the books to which I have had 
access. In the works of some of our American Herpetologists, 
the fact of the existence of the external branchiae in the early 
pertod of the development of the young tadpole, appears to be 
doubted. I possess many specimens illustrative of this fact, as 
well as the development of the anterior extremities of the tadpole 
of the Ranae, previous to their protrusion. 

The following appear to be nondescript species: 

Sal. agilis, Nob. Palatine teeth an oblong patch, composed of 
several rows so arranged as to form very acute angles pointing for- 
ward; curved backward; length 2#in.; head fin. ; tail 1 ink; 
fore legs 4 in. ; hind legs fin. ; head oval, flattish ; snout obtuse ; 
nostrils lateral, small, round ; eyes prominent ; body and tail round, 
the last terete, pointed ; toes minute, four anterior, five posterior. 
Color of the head, back and tail above testaceous or lateritious, 


Fa RS tn pt ee ee 


- ~ 1987 


JUN 


oe ed 


os 


Page: | 


> S