MOULTS. 



13 



have reached their full growth ; this may he in a few 

 "weeks or months, or it may not be for three, four, or 

 even five years. Then an internal change takes 

 place, and the young insect leaves off feeding ; and 

 then in the case of the " similarly changing " insects, 

 such as Grasshoppers, Plant-bugs, and some others. 



Fig. 12. — 1 and 2, Potato-bup; ; 3 and 4, pupas of ditto, nat. size and 

 magnified ; 5 and 6, Hop-bug, nat. size and magnified, 



the larva, for the last time in its larval life, draws 

 itself, limb by limb, out of its dead skin, and stands 

 as a pupa. The skin having been shed, we see that 

 it has now made its advance to the second stage, 

 showing some advance towards wings and wing- 

 cases, in such kinds of insects as have them when 

 perfect. 



In the case of the various larvae, such as maggots, 

 grubs, and caterpillars, which are " dissimilarly 

 changing " insects, that is, in which the first stage is 

 quite different from the two that follow, the larva,, 

 when it is going to turn to the pupa or chrysalis, 

 commonly seeks some place, or makes use of some 

 natural shelter, where it can lie securely during the 

 time which it must pass inactive and defenceless 

 whilst it is going through the pupal state, and there 

 it casts its larval coat for the last time, and appears 

 from within as a pupa or chrysalis. 



The various changes or metamorplwses described 



