434 MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 



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

 animal. 1 



But insects do not always confine themselves to attitudes by which 

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

 courage, 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- 

 beetle (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 (Labidura 

 gigantea), a rare species that his researches have added to the catalogue 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 ap- 

 pearance still more alarming. 2 



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

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

 prolegs 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 dis- 

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

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

 so high. 3 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 becomes 

 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 quadru- 

 ped in miniature; the tail being its head the horns its ears and the 

 reflexed head simulating a tail curled over its back. 4 In this seem- 

 ingly 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 

 the other, agitate the elevated part, whether it be the head or the tail, as if 

 to strike what disturbs them. 5 The giant caterpillar of a large North 

 American moth (Ceracampa regalis} is armed behind the head and at the 

 back of the anterior segments with seven or eight strong curved spines 

 from half to three fourths of an inch in length. Mr. Abbot tells us that 

 this caterpillar is called in Virginia the hickory-horned devil, and that 

 when disturbed it draws up its head, shaking or striking it from side to side ; 

 which attitude gives it so formidable an aspect, that no one, he affirms, will 

 venture to handle it, people in general dreading it as much as a rattle- 

 snake. When, to convince the Negroes that it was harmless, he himself 

 took hold of this animal in their presence, they used to reply that it could 

 not sting him, but would them. 6 The species of a genus of beetles named 



l Ros. i v. 27. 2 Linn. Trans, x. 404. Reaum. ii. 253. 



4 Reaum. ii. 260. t. 20. f. 10, 11. Compare Sepp. IV. t. i. f. 37. 



* Reaum. i. 100. 6 Smith's Abbot's Ins. of Georgia, ii. 121. 



