Syn. Sphinx Vitis, Linn. Syst. Nat. 2. 801. No. 16. Merian Surin. tab. 47. f. 1. Cram. Ins. tab. 267. fig. C. Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. 369. No. 41. Gmel. Linn. S. N. 2380. 16. Abbot and Smith, Ins. Georgia, 1, t. 40.
Habitat: Antigua, Jamaica, St. Christopher's (Drury). "In vitæ Americes" (Linn.). "Magnolia glauca" (Fabr.). "Jussiæa erecta" (Abbot and Smith).
Upper Side. Head and thorax dark flesh-coloured; on the latter, near the neck, is a long spot of olive brown, with another on each side. Abdomen dark flesh-coloured, having two olive brown streaks above, extending from the base to the extremity, being intersected by narrow flesh-coloured annuli or rings. The ground of the anterior wings is a fine olive brown; a flesh-coloured bar begins at the tips, and running parallel with the anterior margin at the middle of the wing, divides into two branches, one continues to the shoulder margin, the other terminates at the middle of the posterior margin; on the upper part of the bar is placed a small flesh-coloured mark, discoidal, the middle being black; near the tips arises also from the upper side a second smaller branch, which runs to the anterior edge, which, with the external margin, has a narrow border of a rusty clay colour. Posterior wings with their external edges bordered with red; above which is a black bar, extending from the anterior edge to the anal angle, where it is much fainter; the inner margin also red, with a large black patch thereon. The upper parts of the wings are of a blueish ash colour. Nerves pale.
Under Side. Breast, thighs, and abdomen dark flesh-coloured. The colours of all the wings on this side are faint, being principally of a clay colour; the inferior ones, next the abdominal edges, being tinged with red.
The caterpillar of this beautiful Sphinx is remarkable for having only a slight protuberance at the extremity of the body in place of the erect spine or tail, which is possessed by the majority of the caterpillars of the Sphingidæ. It is of a pale yellowish colour, with numerous slender transverse black lines, and white oblique lateral marks directed towards the head. Its food is very various. One, observed by Abbot, went into the ground on the 14th of August, and came out on the 7th of September; whilst another which went in on the 29th of September, did not come out until the 18th of July following. The moth is rare; but may occasionally be seen sucking the gourd blossoms in the evening. The chrysalis has a pointed tail, but is destitute of a porrected tongue-case.
THYREUS LUGUBRIS.
Plate [XXVIII]. fig. 2.
Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Crepuscularia. Family: Sphingidæ, Leach.
Genus. Thyreus, Swains. Zool. Illustr. vol. 1.
Thyreus Lugubris. Alis brunneis, anticis strigis undatis parallelis punctoque subocellari atris. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 9 lin.)