THE CANTHARIDM. 



309 



the pupa of a fly. 9. It moults again, and once more resembles 

 its second stage (I presume the grub state ; but as it is only said 

 to resemble it, not to revert to it, there may be some difference 

 intended : nothing is said as to its food or feeding in this stage.) 

 10. It then passes into the ordinary pupa state, nth and lastly. 

 It becomes the perfect insect."-^ 



These CantharidcB thus change their habits of life in the larval 

 condition, and have a succession of alterations of form which has 



METAMORrnosES OF Sitaris htimeralis. 



I. Larva in its earliest form. 2. Larva in the second form. 3. False pupa, or quiet 



larva. 4. Larva in the fourth stage. 5. Nymph. (All magnified.) 



few analogues. Fabre calls the whole proceeding hyper-metamor- 

 phosis. 



In the engraving, the first figure is that of a very small 

 larva (magnified) which is ready to attach itself to the bee, and 

 to devour the ^g'g of its unwilling host The second figure 

 represents the larva after its first change of skin, when it has 

 ceased being carnivorous and has become a honey eater. Fig. 3 

 is the false chrysalis, and Fig. 4 is that of the larva escaped from 

 it. Fig. 5 is that of a nymph. 



Glowworms, which are frequently seen in many parts of 



* A. Murray, in "Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist.," Sept., 1870. 



