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which traverse them have precisely the appearance of the ribs 

 of the leaf. A kind of suture which seems to unite the wings in 

 the centre, though they are really detached, presents a ridge 

 perfectly analogous to that of the leaf stalk. The legs are flat, 

 and of such a form as closely to resemble those little abortions of 

 leaves which are frequently found on the Badamier. Another 

 remarkable circumstance is the change of color which these 

 insects undergo. As the leaves on which they feed wither, they 

 lose their bright green color, and become yellow ; Avhether they 

 resume their green color with the leaves or not, is not known. 

 No insect is more harmless and defenceless than this ; their sole 

 safety consists in their escaping observation by the close resem- 

 blance to the plant on which they feed. Their greatest enemies 

 are ants, which prey upon them with great avidity, cutting out 

 pieces of their wings and carrying them off, until the poor insect 

 is completely dismembered. They seem sensible of no pain 

 during this attack, for we have repeatedly seen ants eating the 

 wings, while the fly continued its own repast on the badamier 

 leaf without interruption ; nevertheless, death ensues. They eat 

 in the same way as caterpillars, cutting in a circular direction, 

 but they are far from being so voracious as these insects. They 

 drink frequently, plunging their mouths into the dew-drops, and 

 drinking by suction. 



" The mouche-feuille attains its full growth in about four 

 months, and then begins to lay, and deposits an e^g daily for 

 about three months, when it dies. The eggs are of a dark 

 brown color, and much resemble in shape the Caramhole, but 

 with a little knob at each end. They are about three lines in 

 length, and one and a half in diameter at the largest part. In 

 from eighty to ninety days the young are hatched, and are then 

 of a reddish brown color, nearly an inch long, and perfectly flat, 

 without any appearance of wings. It seems incredible that an 

 insect of such a size could have been contained in such an egg. 

 As they grow, the color gradually changes, and the wings appear, 

 but we are unable to detail minutely the stages of their growth ; 

 but we believe it to differ from that of almost every other insect 

 in that they do not change their skin. They w^ere formerly 

 found in all parts of the islands, but are now rarely met with 

 except in Silhouette." 



