334 TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



Lepidoptera, the Hymenoptera, and the Coleoptera are born in a 

 very embryonic or immature state, the OrtJwptera spring into 

 life almost as well developed as the adults, and hardly undergo 

 any changes before attaining the perfect form. These changes 

 consist of the development of the organs of flight and repro- 

 duction. There are many OrtJwptera, however, which never 

 obtain their organs of flight, and they become adults without 

 having acquired the same perfection which is common to the 

 rest of the group. They may be said to have had their de- 

 velopment arrested, or, perhaps, they are the oldest forms of 

 insect life, metamorphosis and wings having been superadded 

 to the original kinds. Most of the OrtJwptera change their skin 

 or moult at certain periods of their growth. Some of the 

 insects moult three times successively, and still resemble the 

 creature that first came from the &gg ; a fourth moult takes 

 place, and then the rudiments of crumpled wings may be ob- 

 served ; then a fifth change of the skin happens, and it leaves the 

 insects with their great wings perfectly finished. The OrtJwptera 

 which never obtain organs of flight only undergo the first three 

 moultings, and those which only have the rudiments of wings 

 do not change their skin after the fourth time. They never have 

 any period of inactivity; and in consequence of this and of the 

 peculiarities of their growth just mentioned they are called insects 

 whose metamorphoses are incomplete; but it is customary to call 

 those which have no vestiges of wings, larvse, and those which 

 have them in a rudimentary state, nymphs. The larvae, nymphs, 

 and the perfect insects are active and lead the same kind of life. 



The species of OrtJwptera are spread over the whole surface of 

 the world, and are particularly abundant in those tropical climates 

 where vegetation is in excess. There the herbivorous OrtJwptera, 

 which are the most numerous, revel amongst plants of all kinds, 

 which they consume in great quantity. Usually they are beau- 

 tiful insects, embellished with lively and light colours, the shading 

 of which is very pleasant to the eye ; but this is not always the 

 case, as some of them are remarkably ugly and dark. 



The ForficiilidcE, which everybody calls the Earwigs, are much 

 more remarkable — especially in their habits — than most of us have 

 any idea of They have the credit of crawling into the ears and 



