14 



for them, and eating them with avidity, and hence we do not see 

 them otherwise, unless we break the upper stratum of the soil. By 

 removing it about a quarter of an inch deep, we discover a great 

 number of holes about Jive eighths of an inch in diameter, resem- 

 bling auger holes, six, eight, or ten inches apart, according to the 

 facilities of entrance when the young were hatched, and extending 

 downwards six, eight, ten, and sometimes twelve inches. Proceed- 

 ing downwards, the pupa is found at the bottom, and appears to be 

 well formed, though all its parts are not entirely unfolded. This 

 is more remarkable in the wings, which look more like appenda- 

 ges than real wings, lying close to the body, and unfit for use. 

 This imperfect state of the wings seems necessary to the safety of 

 the body, as in a more developed form, they would operate as an 

 impediment to the ascent, and accordingly, we find that, as soon as 

 they emerge into a warmer and dryer atmosphere, they become 

 harder and begin to expand. When the pupa first appears the 

 body is fresh, soft, moist and so tender, that it is easily injured, 

 while the extremities are hard and fit to work their upward course, 

 and creep to such objects as they instinctively seek. The whole 

 external appearance, as well as the occupation of the pupa, indi- 

 cate a very material, recent change; that they have either sloughed 

 or undergone some transformation preparatory to the chrysalis 

 state, the next in order of completion. We have, moreover, other 

 reasons for concluding that other important functional changes now 

 follow. During its residence in the earth, the pupa is in a state of 

 gradual, but slow growth, without any change, except its incre- 

 ment. They have been found, at various periods after their de- 

 scent, covered with the same brown shell that always invests them, 

 till the transformation they undergo, when they become pupae. 

 Mr. Samuel Feast, an intelligent gardener and naturalist, dug them 

 from the earth, one and two years before the last ascension, in this 

 form, but not completely grown. Mr. Ellis Thomas found them 

 in this state in his garden eight years after their descent, nearly half 

 grown. These facts clearly demonstrate that they require the 

 whole time of their subterraneous existence to complete their 



