36 DEATH'S HEAD SPHINX. 



described ; but it was assigned to the introduction 

 of bats into the hives, which I had difficulty in 

 crediting. These creatures are satisfied with seizing 

 nocturnal insects in their flight, which are never 

 wanting in summer. They do not feed on honey ; 

 why, therefore, should they attack bees in their 

 habitations, for the purpose of pillaging their stores ? 



" However, it might be some other animal : there- 

 fore, having put my people in ambush, they soon 

 brought me intelligence, not of bats, indeed, but of 

 the Sphinx Atropos, or Death's Head, a large moth 

 flying in numbers about the hives ; and one was 

 caught at the moment of attempting to penetrate a 

 hive among the least populous, where it evidently 

 designed living at the expense of the bees. 



" From all quarters I had information of similar 

 ravages committed by bats, as supposed. Cultivators 

 who expected a plentiful harvest, found their hives 

 as light as in the first days of spring ; though recently 

 well provisioned, they were now reduced to the 

 weight of wax. 



" At length, the gigantic moth which had occa- 

 sioned the desertion of the bees, was surprised in 

 several hives. 



" Such reiterated proofs were requisite to persuade 

 me that a butterfly, an insect wanting a sting, unpro- 

 vided with any shield or other means of defence, 

 could contend victoriously against thousands of bees ; 

 but this year they were so common, that it was easy 

 to be convinced of the fact. 



" As the enterprises of the Sphinx constantly became 



