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(4) Description of all stages from egg to adult. 



The Egg. 



The eggs are deposited in a heap usually in the leaf sheaths of 

 various large-leaved succulent plants such as Canna and sugar- 

 cane, and are placed sufficiently far down to afford ample pro- 

 tection from the sun or enemies, the mother keeping continuous 

 guard during the incubation period and for several days after the 

 hatching of the }'oung. She is most assiduous in her atten- 

 tions to her ova, removing them carefully with the mandibles 

 and palpi and constantly rearranging the batch. This maternal 

 solicitude has been frequently observed in various species of 

 earwigs and other insects ; not infrecjuently however if disturbed, 

 she will devour the entire lot. These batches consist of from 

 about 40 to 60 eggs, the average UiUmber being about 45. Upon 

 deposition, they are of an ivory whiteness and broadly oval, mea- 

 suring about I mm. x 0.75 mm. (PL VIII, fig. i.) As develop- 

 ment proceeds and the surrounding moisture is absorbed, the 

 elastic egg-membrane allows a very considerable increase in 

 size to occur during the next few days. So that on the 5th or 

 (ith day, (i. e.,) just previous to hatching) they are fully twice 

 their original bulk, measuring 1.50 mm. x i mm. At this stage 

 the embryo can be distinctly discerned in ovo, the abdomen be- 

 ing curved forward so that the forceps lie against the ventral sur- 

 face. (PI. VIII, fig. 2.) No trace of segmentation in the for- 

 ceps of the embryo can be detected in this species. 



First Larval Instar. 



The larvae emerge about the Oxh. day and are at first of a pale 

 ivory white ; pigmentation rapidly develoi:)S, the eyes, head, api- 

 cal antennal joints and femora assume a pale bluish grey color- 

 ation, which rapidly darkens and extends over those portions of 

 •the body surface which are destined to become black. At this 

 instar the dimensions are as folloAvs : 



Antennae 2.50 nmi. 



Head and body 3-3.50 mm. 



Forceps i mm. 



The general facies even at the ist instar is remarkably like 

 that of the adult — this is still more apparent in Auisolabis — the 

 chief difference apart from the absence of tegmina and wings. 



