S P H I N X C A R O L I N A .
TOBACCO HAWK-MOTH.
N IC O T IA N A T A B A CUM. L IN N .
• T O B A C C O.
S . alis integris: omnibus margine poftico albo-pun6tatis, abdomine ocellis fex parium fulvis.
Sphinx Carolina. Linn. Syft. Nai. 798. Drury's Inf. V. 1 . /. 25. f . 1. .
F e e d s upon Tobacco, Irifb Potatoes (Solarium tubcrofiim?), Red Pepper CCapJi-
cum?) &c. I t w e n t into th e ground Ju n e 19th, and came out 15th July; another
w e n t in th e 8th July, and came o u t i l l Auguft. T h e caterpillar is a great n u i-
fance to th e plantations- o f tobacco, th e cultivators being obliged to pick them
carefully off the young plants. T h e moth is very commonly feen in an evening,
fucking the James-town weed and Gourd blofloms, and continues breeding all the
fummer. There is reafon to fufpect tw o Ipecies o f this fly; a t leafl: a great variety
o f colours is obfervable in b o th fexes.
What is intended by the James-town weed is not eafy to determine. This moth is common
in the Weft Indies as well as in Georgia and Carolina. Dr. Browne fays it is" called the
Mofquito Hawk, from its appearing at that time of the evening in which thofe flies abound,
and being vulgarly; though certainly erroneoufly, fuppofed to prey on them.