THE HUMMING-BIRD HAWK-MOTH.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] Sta.—The humming-bird hawk-moth (3facroglossa stellatarum) appears to be unusually plentiful this year, but the insect described by " G." as having the " upper wings of fine,, filmy gauze" is more probably one of the bee-hawk moths (Hetnaris fuciformis or. H. tityus), which have diaphanous wings. The humming-bird hawk-moth has well-covered, opaque upper wings. It is a common insect in many localities. Large numbers used to enter our dug-outs on the Gallipoli Peninsula, and there is a good illustration of one of this genus, in conjunction with one of a small humming-bird, showing the close resemb- lance between bird and moth, in Bates's Naturalist on the Amazons. Bates relates that the natives, and even the educated whites, believed that insect and bird were transmutable, and that he sometimes shot the moth in mistake for the bird.. The resemblance caused by similarity of movement and habits is enhanced by the likeness in the tails of the two and the position
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