66 CRITICAL NOTICE — FOREIGN. 



equally accurate and excellent. Of the merits of the descriptive portion 

 of the work, the following extracts, in the selection of which we have 

 been guided by the elegance or notoriety of the Caterpillars which con- 

 stitute their subjects, will enable the reader to judge for himself. They 

 belong to the 1st Plate of the SpUngides, and the Ist of the ** Pseudo- 

 Bombycines" of the work. 



"DEILEPHILA EUPHORBIiE." 



"This Caterpillar is very beautiful. The ground-colour is black, with yellow 

 points very thickly set. Upon each side, are observed two longitudinal rows of 

 round spots, sometimes reddish, sometimes yellow or white. There is a longitudinal 

 red streak on the back ; and a similar one on each side above the legs ; but the latter 

 is frequently intersected with yellow. The head, the last ring (of the body), and 

 the base of the horn, are deep-red ; as are also, the legs. The horn is scabrous, 

 curved posteriorly, and black at the extremity. In early age, the longitudinal lines 

 are yellow." 



*• The Chrysalis is of a greyish-brown colour, with the articulations more bright, 

 and the stigmata blackish." 



" This Caterpillar is rather common. It feeds upon several species of Euphorbia 

 or Spurge ; but prefers the E. gerardiana, cyparissias^ esula, and exigua. At the 

 sea-side, it is frequently found upon E. paralias. It is very voracious, and grows 

 rapidly. Sandy plains, the borders of roads and paths, and all situations in which 

 the Euphorbia are common, constitute its favorite habitation. It is first found about 

 the close of June : its metamorphosis takes place at the end of July ; and the per- 

 fect insect appears about August or September, in the South, and sometimes even in 

 the vicinity of Paris, if the weather be favorable. Hence caterpillars are found in 

 the months of September and October. The individuals, which pass the winter in 

 the chrysalid state, come out in June of the ensuing year. It sometimes happens 

 that the chrysalid condition is prolonged for two years." 



The species to which this splendid chrysalis belongs, is the Sphinx 

 Euphorhice, of Linnaeus ; and Sphinx du tithymah, of Godart. An 

 exquisite drawing of the caterpillar may be seen in the third plate of the 

 first volume of Curtis' British Entomology : but no detailed description* 

 of the animal is given by that profound and accomplished naturalist. 

 The deficiency is, however, supplied, with tolerable correctness, at page 

 125 of Stephens' valuable Illustrations ^ Haustellata, vol. i. 



" DICRANURA VINULA." 



" Like all the Caterpillars of the genus Dicranura, the present is rendered very 

 remarkable by two fistulous tails, from which, at the will of the animal, two 

 highly flexible tentacula are protruded. These tentacula, we may add, are of a 

 crimson colour, and have, when exerted, an incessant writhing or vibratory mo- 

 tion." 



" In early age, the body is everywhere of a blackish colour ; but, after the first 

 change of skin, it becomes apple-green, and sometimes whitish-green with a few 

 remotely scattered black points. From the third ring, which is slightly prominent, 

 the back exhibits a kind of lozenge-shaped mantle, which is prolonged to the origin 

 of the tails, and descends rather low upon the sides, yet always at a certain distance 

 from the membranous legs. This mantle is almost invariably connected by its ante- 

 rior extremity, with a triangular spot of the same colour. The head is brown- 

 black ; and retractile, at the will of the animal, within the first ring which exhibits 

 a square form, and deep-crimson colour. It is, moreover, marked with two black 

 spots. The tail is intersected with whitish and black ; and embraces another small 

 forked tail completely black. Frequently at the base of the second pair of mem- 

 branous legs, there exists a purple lunule, marked with yellow, above." 



* At least in the first edition of his invaluable work. A second edition of the 

 letter-press, descriptive of the species, was commenced a few years ago ; but unfor- 

 tunately, did not meet with sufficient encouragement to justify its continuance. 

 This is much to be lamented ; as accurate descriptions of the various species of 

 the genera of insects, so admirably illustrated by Mr. Curtis, were alone wanting 

 to render the British Entomology as perfect in its kind, as it is correct and beautiful 

 in execution. 



