72 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. ill. 



This is enlarged by a puffing and dilating of the head; through the 

 semitransparent shell is seen a constant bubbling and a subse- 

 quent dilatation of the cuticle. 



On the third day of the hatching process, a strong movement 

 of the eml)ryo gi\cs decided evidence of the progress of hatching. 

 Immcdiateh- l)chind the egg pick, a triangular slit appears 

 through which bubbles emerge to the surface of the exochorion; 

 thus the amnion (the embryonic cuticle) makes its initial appear- 

 ance through a crack in the exochorion of the shell. 



The amnion splits longitudinally adhering to the chorion 

 and bulging out as the insect struggles. It is pushed out of the 

 chorion as the abdominal segments are projecting. The emer- 

 gence is furthered by the young maggot pressing the head 

 against its tail causing the middle of its body to bulge through 

 the central gap of the shell. The- amnion becomes noticeably 

 darker as it is exposed to the air; it is now a light brownish- 

 yellow. 



The pressure of the body against the shell foiTns nearly a 

 round hole through which the larva eventually emerges. The 

 opening is enlarged by pressure of the head against the tail, 

 raising the body like a hoop, causing an arch or a hump to appear 

 with dorsal side outwards. 



The amnion sheds slowly on either side from the middle of 

 the arched abdomen \'entrally and with a movement of fluid 

 beneath it cracks across the abdomen, peeling and wrinkling as 

 the segments telescope. With a final vigorous bubbling and 

 wrinkling the amnion sheds off, the moulted skin falling on either 

 side, exposing the quite colorless cuticle of the maggot roughly 

 wrinkled and bristling with slender hairs. These hairs which at 

 first appear transparent turn grayish when exposed to the air. 



When the tail of the larva has been torn loose from the shell, 

 the head and thorax are still imprisoned within the Qgg, necessi- 

 tating a maneuvering by waving its tail in the air, twisting and 

 squirming while standing on its head. The abdomen doubles up 

 ventrally and finally the young larva supported on its tail 

 extricates the head l~»y a violent shaking. When the head is torn 

 from its fastenings, it is found that the amnion has been holding 

 it within the shell. The adhering membrane is cast out when the 

 shell is shaken oft". The larva has now fully emerged, the colorless 

 cuticle has turned grayish and the slender threadlike bristles have 

 assumed an iridescent hue. 



