MOTHS AT THE FIRESIDE. 75 



circled with blacl\. These are the markings that have 

 given it the name of tlie Five-spotted Sphinx." 



" Wliy should it be called a sphinx at all?" asked 

 Abby. 



" The larva, when disturbed, has the habit of raising 

 its head aloft and curving several of the first segments 

 of the body (see Fig. 23). The fancied resemblance of 

 this attitude to the Egyptian Sphinx has suggested its 

 scientific name." 



" That is very good," said the Mistress, "very good, 

 indeed, and I am sure that it will help me to remember 

 what you have said. Is that what has been called a 

 scientific use of the imagination ? If so, I suppose we 

 might complete the fancy, and think of the famous 

 'Riddle of the Sphinx,' as the continually repeated 

 question of the farmers, ' What be them worms made 

 for, anyhow ?' " 



" Are not these large moths very rare insects ?" asked 

 Abby. " I don't remember ever to have seen one." 



" On the contrary, they are quite common," I replied. 

 " You will find them even within the city limits, where 

 they feed on the Jimson (Jamestown) weed, which 

 grows abundantly on vacant lots. But they are night- 

 feeders, keeping close under the cover of the leaves and 

 branches during the day, and only flying abroad after 

 nightfall. For this reason we rarely see them. You 

 have seen the small species of moths fluttering around 

 the lights on a summer evening, but the large species 

 do not often venture through the windows. The fact 

 is, there is a night-world of all sorts of creatures living 



