22 THE SPURGE SPHINX. 



The Spurge Sphinx, considered as a native of 

 Britain, is, without exception, the rarest species of 

 the genus. 



Drury has figured this sphinx, without its changes, 

 among his rare insects, but as a native of a foreign 

 country ; and, before the time of Harris, it was often 

 an object of discussion among collectors, whether it 

 had ever been taken in England. Harris says, " It 

 has long been in dispute, whether the Spotted 

 Elephant was a native of this island ; but it is now 

 past a doubt, as I had the good fortune to find a 

 caterpillar of this inoth in marshy ground at Barns- 

 cray, near Crayford, in Kent, about the middle of 

 August. It was better than three inches long, of a 

 dark brown colour ; the horn at the tail part, which 

 was about half an inch long, appeared black and 

 glossy. The head was nearly the size of a small pea, 

 and of a lightish yellow brown, or tan colour. I tried 

 various herbs to bring it to feed, but my attempts 

 were fruitless, and it died for want." He mentions 

 that the chrysalis, in the plate which he figured, was 

 sent to him from Belisle, in France ; and the moth 

 was transformed from it in the beginning of June. 



The Spurge Sphinx is common in many parts of 

 Germany, France, and the Netherlands. It is figured, 

 of the natural size in the annexed plate. The 

 caterpillar feeds on the smaller, or European, species 

 of the genus Euphorbia. It changes to a chrysalis 

 in the month of August, from which, in the following 

 June, emerges the perfect insect, in its imago condi- 

 tion ; in which state it has few equals in point of 

 colour. 



