33 Studies in the Theory of Descent. 



their persecutor. This habit frequently succeeds 

 with men, and more especially with women and 

 children ; perhaps more easily in these cases than 

 with their experienced foes, birds. 



The ocellated CJkzr&campa larvae behave differ- 

 ently. They remain quiet on being attacked, 

 and do not put on a Sphinx-like attitude, but only 

 withdraw the head and three small front seg- 

 ments into the large fourth segment, which thus 

 becomes much swollen, and is on this account 

 taken for the head of the insect by the inex- 

 perienced. 5 Now the large eye-spots are situated 

 on the fourth segment, and it does not require 

 much imagination to see in such a caterpillar an 

 alarming monster with fiery eyes, especially if we 

 consider the size which it must appear to an enemy 

 such as a lizard or small bird. Fig. 28 represents 

 the larva of C. Porcellus in an attitude of defence, 

 although but imperfectly, since the front segments 

 can be still more withdrawn. 



These facts and considerations do not, however, 

 amount to scientific demonstration, and I therefore 

 made a series of experiments, in order to determine 

 whether these caterpillars did actually frighten 

 small birds. The first experiment proved but little 

 satisfactory. A jay, which had been domesticated 

 for years, to which I threw a caterpillar of CJuero- 



6 [For Mr. J. P. Mansel Weale's remarks on the habits of 

 certain ocellated S. African Sphinx-larvae see note i, p. 290. 

 R.M.] 



