MARIA SIBILLA MERIAN. 
35 
the croivn and basilar offsets just developed, and 
secondly in a ripe state, cut out of its cluster of 
serrated leaves, and prepared for the table ; both of 
the figures extremely well executed. The insects 
are rather coarsely engraved. Those towards the 
top of Plate I. are the kakkerlac or American cock- 
roach CBlatta Americana, L.), which infests most 
of the houses of tropical America. The four upper 
figures in Plate ii. represent the Coccinella cacti, 
and the four lower ones the different states of Pa- 
pilio Dido, Fab., the caterj)illar somewhat remark- 
able for having two long pilose spines, springing 
from the incisure of the anal segment. Plate iii. 
represents the different stages of a gigantic hawk- 
moth, which does not appear to have been known 
to Fabiicius. The pupa, which is beautifully drawn, 
has the case of the proboscis of great length, and 
incurved like a ram’s horn. The pupa and exuvi® 
of the larvas are improperly attached to a plant 
(the Anona muricata, or soursop), as the sphingidaj 
undergo their change in the earth, and envelope 
themselves in a loose cocoon. Plate v. likeivisc 
represents a large and finely marked sphinx ( Sphinx 
Tetrio, Fab.), together u-ith its pupa and larva. 
The latter is placed on a cassava plant, the root of 
which is figured to show the tubers, wliich afford a 
common and valuable article of food. The author 
states, that when the tubers are well scraped, all the 
juice is pressed out of them, as it is of a poisonous 
quality. They are then placed on a plate of iron, 
mider which a fire is kept up, until the remaining 
