SPHINX, in natural history, a genus of insects of the order Lepidop tera. Antenna somewhat prismatic, ta pering at each end ; tongue mostly ex serted ; two feelers, reflected; wings deflected. There are about two hundred species ; these fly abroad in the morning and evening, are very slow on the wing, and often make a humming kind of noise; they extract the nectary of flowers with the tongue : the larva has sixteen feet ; and is pretty active. The name of the sphinx is applied to the genus, on account of the posture assumed by the larva of several of the larger species, which are said to be seen in an attitude much resembling that of the Egyptian sphinx. This nume rous genus is divided into sections : A. antenna scaly: feelers hairy ; tongue spiral. B. antenna cylindrical ; tongue oxserted, truncate ; wings entire. C. an tenna thicker in the middle ; tongue ex serted. The largest, and perhaps the most beautiful of the European species, is S. atropos; of this, the upper wings are of a fine dark grey, with a few slight variegations of dull orange and white ; the body is orange coloured, with the sides marked with black bars, while along the top of the back, from the thorax to the tail, runs a broad blue-grey stripe ; on the top of the thorax is a very large patch, of a most singular appearance, exactly resembling the usual figure of a skull 11 hen in the least disturbed, or irritated, this insect emits a sound like the squeaking of a mouse or a bat. In many parts of Europe it is held much in dread by the vulgar, and regarded as the harbinger of misfortune. The caterpillar, from which this curious sphinx proceeds, is in the highest degree beautiful, and surpasses in size every other European insect of the kind, being sometimes five inches in length : its colour is a bright yellow, the sides marked by a row of se ven most elegant broad stripes, of a mix ed violet and sky-blue colour; on the last joint of the 'body is a horn, or pro cess, hanging over the joint in the manner of a tail, having a rough or mu ricated surface, and a yellow colour. This caterpillar is principally found on the potatoe and the jasmine ; it usually changes into a chrysalis in the month of September, retiring for that purp2se pretty deep under the surface of /he earth ; the complete insect emerging in the following summer. This species is generally considered as a very rare in sect; and as the caterpillar feeds chiefly by night, concealing itself during the day, it is not often seen. See Plate IV. Ento
mology, fig. 7.
8. ligustri, or privet hawk-moth, is a large insect, measuring nearly four inches and a half from wing's end to wing's end : the upper wings of a brown colour, most elegantly varied or shaded with deeper and lighter streaks and patches ; the un der wings and body are of a fine rose co lour, barred with transverse black stripes. The caterpillar, which is very large, is smooth, and of a fine green, with seven oblique purple and white stripes along each aide ; at the extremity of the body, or top of the last joint, is a horn or pro cess pointing backwards. This beautiful caterpillar is often found in the months of July and August feeding on the privet, the lilac, the poplar, and some other trees, and generally changes to a chrysalis in August or September, retiring for that purpose to a considerable depth beneath the sur face of the ground, and, after casting its skin, continuing during the whole winter in a dormant state, the sphinx emerging from it in the succeeding June.
8. ocellata is perhaps still more beauti ful : it is rather a smaller insect than the preceding, and has the upper wings and body brown ; the former finely clouded with different shades, while the lower wings are of a bright rose-colour, each marked with a large ocellated black spot, with *blue interior circle and a black centre. This insect proceeds from a green caterpillar, of a rough or shagreen like surface, marked on each side by seven oblique yellowish-white streaks, and furnished, like the preceding, with a horn at the tail. It is principally found on the willow ; retires under ground, in order to undergo its change into the chrysalis state, in the month of August or September ; and in the following June appears the complete insect.
Sl'ICA, in botany, a term applied to a particular mode of flowering, in which the Bowers are ranged alternately upon both sides of a simple common flower-stalk. The flowers in the spice are seated im mediately upon the stalk, without any partial foot-stalk, in which it differs from a racemus, or cluster. A Spica is said to be single rowed when the flowers are all turned towards one side ; and to be double rowed when they look to both sideit, or stand two ways.