The Locusts: their Eggs 



Having come quite close to the surface 

 ^\ith the aid of his ascending-shaft, what does 

 the young Locust do to complete his deliver- 

 ance? He has still to pass through a layer 

 of earth about a finger's-breadth in thick- 

 ness ; and that is very hard work for budding 

 flesh. 



If we keep the egg-cases in glass tubes 

 during the favourable period, the end of 

 spring, we shall receive a reply to our quest- 

 ion, provided that we have the requisite pa- 

 tience. The Blue-winged Locusts lend them- 

 selves best to my investigations. I find some 

 of them busied with the work of liberation 

 at the end of June. 



The little Locust, on leaving his shell, 

 is a whitish colour, clouded with light red. 

 His progress is made by wormlike move- 

 ments; and, so that It may be impeded as 

 little as possible, he is hatched in the condi- 

 tion of a mummy, that is to say, clad, like 

 the young Grasshoppers, in a temporary 

 jacket, which keeps his antennae, palpi and 

 legs closely fixed to his breast and belly. The 

 head Itself Is very much bent. The large 

 hind-thighs are arranged side by side with 

 the folded shanks, shapeless as yet, short 

 and as it were crooked. On the way, the 



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