MARIA SIBILLA MERIAN. 35 



the crown and basilar offsets just developed, and 

 secondly in a ripe state, cut out of its cluster of 

 serrated leaves, and prepared for the table ; both of 

 the figures extremely well executed. The insects 

 are rather coarsely engraved. Those towards the 

 top of Plate i. are the kakkerlac or American cock- 

 roach (Blatta Americana, L.), which infests most 

 of the houses of tropical America. The four upper 

 figures in Plate n. represent the Coccinella cacti, 

 and the four lower ones the different states of Pa- 

 pilio Dido, Fab., the caterpillar somewhat remark- 

 able for having two long pilose spines, springing 

 from the incisure of the anal segment. Plate m, 

 represents the different stages of a gigantic hawk- 

 moth, which does not appear to have been known 

 to Fabricius. The pupa, which is beautifully drawn, 

 has the case of the proboscis of great length, and 

 incurved like a ram's horn. The pupa and exuviae 

 of the larvae are improperly attached to a plant 

 (the Anona muricata, or soursop), as the sphingidaa 

 undergo their change in the earth, and envelope 

 themselves in a loose cocoon. Plate v. likewise 

 represents a large and finely marked sphinx (Sphinx 

 Tetrio, Fab.), together with its pupa and larva. 

 The latter is placed on a cassava plant, the root of 

 which is figured to show the tubers, which afford a 

 common and valuable article of food. The author 

 states, that when the tubers are well scraped, all the 

 juice is pressed out of them, as it is of a poisonous 

 quality. They are then placed on a plate of iron, 

 under which a fire is kept up, until the remaining 



