188 STATES OF INSECTS. 



eight intermediate segments a . Mr. Sheppard has re- 

 marked to me, that the skin of that of Sphinx Ligustri, 

 after being under ground four days, was changed from a 

 vivid green to a dull red. Very rarely, however, it be- 

 comes of a more brilliant hue just before entering the 

 pupa state : thus, that of another hawk-moth (Smerinthus 

 Tilice) changes to a bright violet ; and the yellow hairs 

 of that of Laria pudibunda then become of a lovely rose 

 colour. And here I may observe, that the hairs and 

 spines also, of larva?, vary greatly in colour. They are to 

 be met with brown, black, red, yellow, violet, white, &c. 

 De Geer found, that in the larva of Chnbex nitens the 

 two sides of the body were of a different colour, the 

 left being of a deep green, whilst the right side and the 

 rest of the body were paler b ; but as he saw only a single 

 individual, this was probably an accidental circumstance. 

 Though the caterpillars, as I lately said, of one of the 

 most beautiful butterflies and moths that inhabit Britain 

 contend with the perfect insect in loveliness, yet in gene- 

 ral no judgement can be formed of the beauty of the fu- 

 ture fly from the colour of the larva ; and the young Au- 

 relian must not flatter himself always with the hope, be- 

 cause the caterpillar excites admiration by its colours and 

 their arrangement, that the butterfly or moth it is to pro- 

 duce will do the same; nor ought he to despise and over- 

 look a sombre or plain-coloured individual of the former, 

 under the idea that it will produce one equally plain of 

 the latter, for it often happens that the splendid cater- 

 pillar gives a plain butterfly or moth, and vice versa. 

 De Geer, however, gives us two instances of conformity 



;1 Ins, Surinam, t. xl. b ii, 1017 



