254 MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 
darting forth small flocks of a cottony matter that fills 
it?, This manceuvre is probably connected with our 
present subject, and employed to defend it from its ene- 
mies. It also ejects a fluid from its anus. 
There is a moth in New Holland, the larva of which 
annoys its foes in a different way: from eight tubercles 
in its back it darts forth, when alarmed, as many bunches 
of little stings, by which it inflicts very painful and ve- 
nomous wounds. 
The caterpillar of the moth of the beech (Bombyx 
Fagi, F.), called the lobster, is distinguished by the un- 
common length of its anterior legs. Mr. Stephens, an 
acute entomologist, relates to me that he once saw this 
animal use them to rid itself of a mite that incommoded 
it. They are probably equally useful in delivering it 
from the ichneumon and its other inséct enemies.—Dr. 
Arnold has made a curious observation (confirmed by 
Dr. Forsstrom with respect to others of the genus) on 
the use of the long processes or tails that distinguish the 
secondary wings of Hesperia Iarbas. These processes, 
he remarks, resemble antennze, and when the butterfly is 
sitting it keeps them in constant motion; so that at first 
sight it appears to have a head at each extremity; which 
deception is much increased by a spot resembling an eye 
at the base of the processes. These insects, perhaps, 
thus perplex or alarm their assailants.—Goedart pre- 
tended that the anal horn with which the caterpillars of 
so many hawk-moths (Sphinr) are armed, answers the 
end of a sting instilling a dangerous venom: but 
the observations of modern entomologists have proved 
@ Reaum. i. 155, ¢. vii. fi 4--7. > Lewin’s Prodromus. 
