Zoological Illustrations Volume I Part 25

The tail is very long, measuring eight inches three quarters; the total length of the bird being near fifteen inches. The green which predominates over the plumage is bright and changeable, having a blueish tinge on the hind head, which is much darker and stronger on the outer margins of the quills and middle of the tail-feathers: the back and scapulars are tinged with an olive-brown; the spurious quills and their protecting covers are greenish-blue, appearing in some lights entirely of the latter colour; the inner margin of the quills and tail, as well as their entire under surface, deep brownish-black; but the tips of the tail-feathers beneath are much paler; the two middle feathers five inches longer than the outermost, and extending near two inches beyond any of the others; their extremities instead of being pointed are rather widened and rounded. Bill red; ears and s.p.a.ce between the eye and bill green; fore-part of the head, chin, and half the neck, a clear orange-yellow, which is terminated by a narrow collar of a beautiful orange-red; the remaining under plumage pale-green; inner wing-covers darker. Legs black. The fourth, fifth and sixth quills notched at their tips.

Pl. 60

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THYREUS Abbottii.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

(_Familia Sphingidis_ Latreille.)

_Antennae lineares, in medio incra.s.satae, in maribus extrinsecus ciliatae, (sub-barbatae) in foeminis simplices, filiformes, mucrone obtuso arcuato sensim terminantes. Palpi breves, obtusi, in utroque s.e.xu similes. Alae opacae, angulatae. Abdomen cra.s.sum, barbatum._

Antennae linear, thickened in the middle, externally ciliated in the male, simple and filiform in the female, gradually ending in an arcuated, obtuse hook. Palpi short, obtuse, alike in both s.e.xes. Wings opaque, angulated. Abdomen thick, bearded.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_T. alis angulatis, anticis testaceis, fusco umbratis et oblique lineatis; posticis flavis, margine lato nigro._

T. Wings angulated; anterior testaceous, with lineated brown shades and oblique lines; posterior yellow, with a broad black border.

A lovely insect, which is unfigured, and, as far as we can ascertain, undescribed by any author. It appertains to the Linnaean genus _Sphinx_, which can be viewed (from the immense diversity and great number of the species) only as a family containing many and striking natural genera: in modern arrangement it is most nearly allied to the _Sesiae_ of Fabricius, from which, as it strikingly differs in the formation of the palpi and antennae, I have separated it.

I have named this insect to commemorate the exertions of Mr. Abbott, well known as having furnished the materials for that beautiful work the Lepidopterous Insects of Georgia, edited by Sir James Edward Smith. And from the unpublished drawings of this zealous collector, the larva and pupa have been figured. Mr. Abbott writes that it is a rare species in Georgia, and feeds on the grape. The female differs not in colour from the male, which is here represented.

Pl. 61

[Ill.u.s.tration]

TAMYRIS Nurscia.

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 33.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_T. alis nigris, anticis supra fascia centrali rufescente, infra punctis duobus ad basim albidis; posticis infra caesiis, cinereis, basi nigris linea obsoleta albida; margine nigro._

Wings black; anterior above with a central reddish band, and two white basal dots beneath; posterior beneath grey and cinereous; base black with an obsolete white line; margin black.

The marginal fringe of the lower wings in this species has a few white dots between the nerves, and the upper surface is sprinkled or powdered in the middle with blueish-green atoms; on the under surface of the anterior wings the lower part of the band is orange, the upper bright rufous; and within the black margin of the posterior wings is a large blueish spot, and two or three whitish dots on the sides of the thorax. It seems nearest allied to _Hesp. Celsus_ of Fabricius, which is only slightly described from Mr.

Jones's unpublished drawings.

TAMYRIS Laonome._--lower figure._

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_T. alis utrinque similibus, concoloribus fuscis, margine communi aurantiacis; capite anoque rubris._

Wings in both s.e.xes alike, uniform brown, with a common margin of orange; head and tail red.

The under surface of this insect (a female) perfectly resembles the upper: it will approach near to _Hesp. Amiatus_ of Fabricius, which no doubt belongs to this genus.

For both these interesting insects, not to be found in Fabricius, I am indebted to the liberality of my friend Professor Klug, Director of the Royal Museum at Berlin: no note accompanied them, I therefore conclude they are undescribed, and probably inhabiting South America.

Pl. 62

[Ill.u.s.tration]

PSITTACUS discolor.

_Red-shouldered Parakeet._

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 1.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_P. viridis; fronte, mento, tegminibus inferioribus, macula cervicali, lateribus et scapularibus coccineis; humeris puniceis; vertice, tegminibus exterioribus remigibusque violaceis; rectricibus fulvo marginatis._

P. Green; front, chin, under wing-covers, and spots in the neck, flanks and scapulars crimson; shoulders dark-red; crown, external wing-covers, and lateral tail-feathers violet-blue; quills blueish-black margined with yellow.