34 



observed it on the foreign grape-vine, in a garden in 

 this vicinity. In a late visit to the same spot, I found it 

 in great numbers on this vine, and also upon several 

 kinds of garden vegetables. A much larger beede,* of 

 a brownish yellow color, with eight black spots on its 

 back, also feeds upon the leaves of the cultivated and 

 wild grape. These insects are to be combated by the 

 same means that have been found successful against 

 the rose -bug. 



The larvae of three species of Sphinx,] whose meta- 

 morphoses are similar to those of the potato-worm, 

 devour the leaves of the vine. They are large, fleshy, 

 naked caterpillars, feeding mostly at night, and re- 

 maining at rest during the day-time, when they will 

 sit with the head and fore part of the body erect in the 

 most self-sufficient and dogged manner for hours. 

 From this odd attitude, resembling that of the fabulous 

 Sphinx sculptured by the ancient Egyptians, the genus 

 received its name. Three or four of these insects are 

 able to devour every leaf upon a vine ; but their 

 ravages early betray them, and render it easy to arrest 

 them in their career. 



Omitting several other insects of minor powers, 

 I shall close my list of the assailants of the vine with a 

 few observations upon a species of Tenthredo, J or 

 saw-fly, whose gradually increasing ravages I have 

 long noticed. This insect does not appear to have 

 been named or described, at least it is not to be iden- 

 tified by any description accessible to me. In its 



* Melolontha punctata. L. 



^Sphinx Grantor, Cramer; (S*. satellilia? , Drury ; and S, pam- 

 mnatrix, Smith. 



I Tenthredo (Selandria) Vitis. Harris. 



