MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 449 



posterior legs, solely upon their anal extremity, forming an angle of various 

 degrees with the branch on which they are standing, and looking like 

 one of its twigs. Many concurring circumstances promote this deception. 

 The body is kept stiff and immovable with the separations of the seg- 

 ments scarcely visible ; it terminates in a knob, the legs being applied 

 close, so as to resemble the bud at the end of a twig ; besides which, it 

 often exhibits intermediate tubercles which increase the resemblance. Its 

 color too is usually obscure, and similar to that of the bark of a tree. 

 So that, doubtless, the sparrows and other birds are frequendy deceived 

 by this manoeuvre, and thus baulked of their prey. Rosel's gardener, 

 mistaking one of these caterpillars for a dead twig, started back in 

 great alarm when upon attempting to break it off he found it was a living 

 animal.^ 



But insects do not always confine themselves to attitudes by which 

 they meditate escape or concealment ; they sometimes, to show their cour- 

 age, put themselves in a posture of defence, and even have in view the 

 annoyance as well as the repelling of their foes. The great rove-beede 

 (^Goerius olens) presents an object sufficiently terrific, when with its large 

 jaws expanded, and its abdomen turned over its head, like a scorpion, 

 it menaces its enemies, some of which this ferocious attitude may deter 

 from attacking it. Mr. Bingley informs us that the giant earwig' (^Labi- 

 dura gigantea), a rare species that his researches have added to the cata- 

 logue of British insects, turns up over its head, in a similar manner, its 

 abdomen, which being armed at the end with a large forceps must give it 

 an appearance still more alarming.^ 



The caterpillars of some hawk-motbs (Sphinx), particularly that which 

 feeds upon the privet, when they repose, holding strongly with their pro- 

 legs the branch on which they are standing, rear the anterior part of their 

 body so as to form nearly a right angle with the posterior; and in this 

 position it will remain perfectly tranquil, — thus eluding the notice of its 

 enemies, or alarming them, — perhaps for hours. Reaumur relates that a 

 gardener in the employment of the celebrated Jussieu used to be quite 

 disconcerted by the self-sufficient air of these animals, saying they must 

 be very proud, for he had never seen any other caterpillars hold their head 

 so high.^ From this attitude, which precisely resembles that which sculp- 

 tors have assigned to the fabulous monster called by that name, the term 

 Sphinx has been used to designate this genus of insects. — The caterpillar 

 of a moth (Lophopteryx camelina) noticed by the author just quoted, 

 whenever it rests from feeding, turns its head over its back, then become 

 concave, at the same time elevating its tail, the extremity of which 

 remains in a horizontal position, with two short horns like ears behind it. 

 Thus the six anterior legs are in the air, and the whole animal looks like a 

 quadruped in miniature; the tail being its head — the horns its ears — 

 and the reflexed head simulating a tail curled over its back.^ In this 

 seemingly unnatural attitude it will remain without motion for a very long 

 time. 



Some lepidopterous larvae, that fix the one half of the body and elevate 



' R6s. I. V. 27. 



* Plate I. Fig. 7. Linn. Trans, x. 404. * Reaura. ii. 253. 



« Reaum. ii. 260. t. 20. f. 10, 11. Compare Sepp. IV. t. i. f. 3—7. 



38* 



