92 Bulletill (le la Société Enfomologi(jue d'Egypte 



pressure is nalur.'tUy less ol)\ious. Laid along the 

 sides,- the wing slumps gradually lengthen duiiug 

 tlie nymphal period by eell proliferation. At the time 

 of the last moult, there is very little unfolding. As 

 the vascular system is geneially obliterated in the 

 iuiago, the veins ol' the hind wings lend to become 

 niere rigid rods acting as supports. XcNcrtheless the 

 observations of Nicor.Hr on C.occinclld (lNi7) and of 

 Bnocni.it on Diitisctis ( UllC)) show inai the vasculai- 

 system may [icrsist in the elytra. 



VIÏ1. Accidents Observed During Moulting. 



'Die imaginai moult is a critical time, a dillicult 

 stage in the life history of /s/??/^/;ìy/. Dui-ing my breeding 

 expeiimenis, I ha\e IVeepuMitly observed specimens 

 which, instead of completing their moult noruially, 

 stopped half way. The wings had baen unable to unfoUi 

 completely and all four showed an unescn and lumpy 

 surfaci' with folded and crumpled edges. Abnormally 

 sepai"aled, Ihey left half the abdouien exposed. Among 

 otliei's, I remember two females, which moulted in June 

 1917 and showed this peculiarity. Not basing been ferti- 

 lized, they wei-e able to \\\v two months. 



A more serious accident occurs when the insi'ct. 

 having freed tlu' thorax and th:' head, is unable to libi'r- 

 ate the ai)peiulag(>s. In spile of all elTorts, the legs, 

 mouth j):iits and antennae remain lixed within their 

 sheaths. Particularly is this the case for the male as 

 the freeing oftheanlennae with their double i);'ctinations 

 is always a diflicull o])eration (Fig. Iß). The breeder 

 then has an inspiration. With Ih > h'lp of a finr- |)aii" 

 f forceps he attempts to wllhdi'aw the [).uls from the 



