186 STATES OF INSECTS. (Larva.) 
cases the latter may be prejudged from the former. The 
larvae of many of the genus Sphinx L., for example, have 
their sides marked by oblique streaks running from the 
back in a direction towards the head; and by this last 
circumstance they are distinguished from those of En- 
dromis versicolor, Aglia Tau, and others of the same 
tribe, which have also lateral oblique strize, but running 
from the back towards the tail?. The colours of in- 
dividual larvae of the same species are usually alike, but 
in Deilephila Elpenor and some others they vary exceed- 
ingly. Many, like those of Lastocampa Rubi, Saturnia 
Carpini, &c., are of one colour when first disclosed, and 
assume others quite different in riper age. Just previ- 
ously to changing their skin, the tints of most larve be- 
come as dull and obscure, as they are fresh and vivid 
when the change has fully taken place ; and in some in- 
stances the new skin is quite differently marked from the 
old one. This is remarkably the case with the last skin 
of some of the larvae of the saw-flies, which is entirely 
different from all the preceding ones. As people when 
they advance far in years usually become more simple in 
their dress than when they were young, so the larvee in 
question change an agreeably variegated skin for one of 
a uniform and less brilliant colour>. Madame Merian 
has observed with respect to Attacus Erythrine, that its 
caterpillar is at first yellowish, with nine black  striz 
on each side: when arrived at one third of its size, 
they become orange; the striz are obliterated, and in 
their place a round black spot appears on each of the 
eight intermediate segments ® Mr. Sheppard has re- 
2 Wien. Verz. 4. >’ Reaum. v. 92. 
© Ins. Surinam. t. Xi. 
