THE DESTRUCTIVE SPHINX. 19 



possessed of this sphinx. The following observa- 

 tions are extracted from a valuable essay by that 

 gentleman, published in the third volume of the 

 American Trarisactions. 



The egg, deposited on the side of a glass tumbler, 

 was oblong-oval, dull yellow, and so small as to be 

 only just discernible by the naked eye. Excepting 

 in a state of confinement, he never saw the female at 

 rest but in one instance, when she was perched on 

 a leaf, which may possibly be the usual place of 

 deposit, though he is inclined to believe that it is 

 made on some part of the trunk of the tree. The 

 larva is white, with a reddish brown head. It is 

 somewhat difficult to ascertain the early movements 

 of the larva, in consequence of its small size ; but its 

 destructive career certainly commences about the 

 end of September, or beginning of October, by its 

 entering the tree, probably through the tender bark 

 under the surface of the soil ; after having passed 

 through the Imrk, it proceeds downwards into the 

 root, and finally turns its course towards the sur- 

 face, where it an-ives about the commencement of 

 the succeeding July. 



Having attained to its full growth, the larva enters 

 the pupa state between the first and middle of July ; 

 enveloped in its follicle, it may then be readily dis- 

 covered close to the trunk, suiTounded by the gum 

 which oozes from the wound. The following is a 

 . figure of 



