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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
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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
.
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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,
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