GENUS SPHINX. 



This tribe feeds on the nectar of flowers, which 

 they extract with their long flexible tongues. 



The caterpillars have sixteen feet, and are mostly 

 very active in their habits ; those of the Linntean 

 division, called Zi/gcenm, are thick, fat, and covered 

 with short hairs ; those of the Sesice are generally 

 smooth, unarmed, and thinner towards the head ; 

 the others have usually a sharp, erect, stiff horn 

 behind. The pupse are quiescent ; those of the 

 Zygcence folliculate, and a little tapering forwards ; 

 the rest naked and smooth ,- those of the Se&iai 

 pointed at each end — of the others, very obtuse be- 

 hind ; and many of the species spin their cocoons 

 under ground, making them up with small particles 

 of earth and grains of corn, interwoven with silky 

 filaments. 



The catei-pillars of some of the sphinges, more 

 particularly that of the Privet Hawk Moth, when 

 in a state of repose, hold firmly with their fore legs 

 the branch on which they are standing, and erect 

 the anterior part of their body so as to form nearly 

 a right angle with the posterior, and remain motion- 

 less in this singular attitude for hours. By this 

 means they elude observation, and may be taken 

 for the twig of a tree. It is mentioned by Reaumur, 

 that a gardener in the service of Jussieu, the cele- 

 brated botanist, used to be much annoyed at the 

 appearance of these caterpillars ; he conceived that 

 the self-sufficient air which they manifested indi- 



