﻿158 HISTORY AND TRANSFORMATIONS 



This insect may be seen upon a wall about sunset, resting perfectly still, the head in 

 a line with the body, which rests flat, probably waiting for the darkness of night to take 

 flight, as it does not usually take wing during the day. It is easily captured, being very 

 sluggish in all its movements, walking and flying heavily; and if dislodged from an ele- 

 vated position, it falls to the ground with outspread wings, without making an effort to 

 escape by flight. When disturbed, a threatening aspect is assumed ; the shining hemi- 

 spherical eyes are conspicuous, the head and thorax are elevated, and the mandibles are 

 opened and closed upon objects with sufficient force to puncture the skin, although in- 

 capable of inflicting any serious injury. The repugnance to the general appearance is 

 heightened in the endeavour to capture the insect, which would naturally be attempted by 

 a seizure upon the back; but the jaws are ready at every point, and by means of the 

 well-developed elevatores capitis et prothoracis muscles, the head and thorax are turned so 

 far over the back as to form a circle with the upturned abdomen. If the capture be per- 

 sisted in, the wings expand, and a white fetid liquid excrement is ejected ; the quality 

 of which indicates the use of animal food, although I am not aware that food is taken 

 in the perfect state. These observations apply to both sexes. 



1. Larva. (PI. I. Fig. I.) 



The larva is oblong, depressed, tapering towards the posterior extremity ; dark-brown, 

 marked on the head and thorax with flavous impressed punctures and confluent depres- 

 sions ; head above and below, with the entire thorax above, of a corneous texture. Ab- 

 domen soft, the integument thick and tough, eight segments with lateral (imperforate r) 

 spiracles and branchiae, each of the latter composed of several filaments ; ninth segment 

 without branchiae, except upon the divided caudal appendage, each division of which 

 has a simple filament, and a pair of curved hooks. The prothoracic spiracle is situated 

 in the connecting skin between the prothorax and mesothorax. The inferior surface 

 of the ninth abdominal segment has a velvet-like pad, a smaller one being also attached 

 to each division of the caudal appendage. The seven anterior abdominal segments have 

 each, near the insertion of the lateral branchiae (fig. b), an inferior brush or bundle of 

 short fibres (&') which seem to be accessory branchiae. The setae upon the lateral 

 branchiae are slender, whilst those upon the accessory branchiae are short, thickly set, and 

 somewhat flattened. 



The head is transversely subquadrate and depressed ; the clypeus and labrum (fig. 2) 

 prominent; eyes (fig. 1, a) lateral, not prominent, simple, each composed of six lenses. 

 Immediately anterior to these are the antennae, which are small, composed of four cylin- 

 drical articulations, the basal one of which is solidly attached to a small oval scapus (s) 



