THE OCELLATED SPHINX. 15 



remarkable beauty ; but the larva, or caterpillar, 

 of the Sphinx, when satiated with the food allotted 

 to it by nature, retires to a very considerable 

 depth beneath the surface of the ground, where it 

 divests itself of all appearance of its former state, and 

 continues buried for several months ; then works its 

 way to the surface, bursts from the confinement of 

 its tomb, and commences a being of powers so com- 

 paratively exalted, and of beauty so superior, as 

 to be one of the most elegant of the whole insect 

 tribe, disporting, in its splendid attire, through the 

 • atmosphere. 



Even the animated illustration of the resurrection, 

 taken from the vegetable world, so justly admired, 

 must yield, in the force of its similitude, to that^ 

 drawn from insect life, since Nature exhibits few 

 phenomena that can equal so wonderful a trans- 

 formation. 



This extraordinary metamorphosis is thus de- 

 scribed by an anonymous poet ; which we suppose 

 to be Dr Shaw. 



The helpless crawling caterpillar trace, 

 From the first period of liis reptile race : 

 Clothed iu dishonour on the leafy spray. 

 Unseen, ho wears his silent hours away ; 

 Till satiate grown of all that life supplies. 

 Self-taught, the voluntary martyr dies. 

 Deep under earth his darkling course he bends, 

 And to the tomb a willing guest descends ; 



