296 STATES OF INSECTS. (Jmago.) 
culty how the body, and even legs, can be withdrawn 
from their cases; but you must be puzzled to conjecture 
how the wings, which seem as thin, as much expanded, 
and as rigid as those of a fly, can admit of having any 
sheath stripped from them; much less how they can be 
withdrawn, as they are, through a small opening at the 
base of the sheath. The fact seems to be, that though 
the outer covering is rigid, the wing inclosed in it, not- 
withstanding it is sometimes more than twenty-four hours 
before the change ensues, is kept moist and pliable. In 
proportion, therefore, as the insect disengages itself from 
the anterior part of the skin, the interior or real wings 
become contracted by a number of plaits into a form 
nearly cylindrical, which readily admits of their being 
pulled through the opening lately mentioned; and as 
soon as the insect is released from its envelope, the plaits 
unfold, and the wing returns to its former shape and di- 
mensions. ‘Thus our little animal, having bid adieu to 
its shirt and drawers, becomes, but in a very harmless 
sense, a genuine descamisado and sansculotte. It does 
not seem improbable, that the pellicle we have been 
speaking of is analogous to that which, in addition to the 
outer skin, incloses the limbs of Lepidoptera, &c. in the 
pupa state, but which they cast at the same time with the 
puparium, and leave adhering to it®. 
The body of newly-disclosed insects commonly ap- 
pears at first of its full size; but the aphidivorous flies 
(Syrphus, &c.), and some others, in about a quarter of 
an hour after leaving the pupa become at least twice as 
large as they were at their first appearance: this appa- 
rent sudden growth, which is also noticed by Goedart, 
* Reaum, vi. 505—. ¢, xlvi. f. 9. Comp. De Geer ii. 627—. 
