6o6 
Color and Pattern and their Uses 
tip of the body which has a most formidable appearance, but is, as a matter 
of fact, not at all a weapon of defence, being quite harmless. Numerous 
stingless insects when disturbed wave about the hind part of the body or 
curl it over or under much as stinging insects do, and seem to be threatening 
to sting. The striking eye-spots of many insects are believed by some 
entomologists to be of the nature of terrifying markings. Marshall tried 
feeding baboons a full-grown larva (about 7 in. long) of the sphinx-moth, 
Fig. 792.—Larva of the pen-marked sphinx-moth, Sphinx chersis, showing threatening 
attitude. (After Comstock.) 
Chcerocampa osiris. The larva has large strongly colored eye-spots and 
is “remarkably snake-like, the general coloring somewhat recalling that 
of the common puff-adder, Bitis arietans. The female baboon ran forward 
expecting a titbit, but when she saw what I had brought she flicked it out 
of my hand on to the ground, at the same time jumping back suspiciously; 
she then approached it very cautiously, and after peering carefully at it from 
the distance of about a foot she withdrew in alarm, being clearly much 
impressed by the large blue eye-like markings. The male baboon, which 
has a much more nervous temperament,' had meanwhile remained at a 
distance surveying the proceedings, so I picked up a caterpillar and brought 
