302 SOCIAL LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD 



are pulsing in tidal onsets. Their gradual increase is 

 betrayed by pulsations like those of a hydraulic ram. 

 Distended by this rush of humours, by this injection 

 in which the organism concentrates all its forces, the 

 outer skin finally splits along the line of least resistance 

 which the subtle previsions of life have prepared. The 

 fissure extends the whole length of the corselet, opening 

 precisely along the ridge of the keel, as though the two 

 symmetrical halves had been soldered together. Un- 

 breakable elsewhere, the envelope has yielded at this 

 median point, which had remained weaker than the rest 

 of the sheath. The fissure runs back a little way until 

 it reaches a point between the attachments of the wings ; 

 on the head it runs forward as far as the base of the 

 antennae, when it sends a short ramification right and 



left. 



Through this breach the back is seen ; quite soft, and 

 very pale, with scarcely a tinge of grey. Slowly it curves 

 upwards and becomes more and more strongly hunched ; 

 at last it is free. 



The head follows, withdrawing itself from its mask, 

 which remains in place, intact in the smallest detail, but 

 looking very strange with its great unseeing glassy eyes. 

 The sheaths of the antennae, without a wrinkle, without 

 the least derangement, and in their natural place, hang 

 over this dead, translucid face. 



In emerging from their narrow sheaths, which clasped 

 them so tightly and precisely, the thread-like antennae 

 have evidently met with no resistance, or the sheaths 

 would have been turned inside out, or crumpled out 

 of shape, or wrinkled at least. Without harming the 

 jointed or knotted covers, the contents, of equal volume 



f 



