THE LARVA CONCEALS ITSELF. 197 



safe from observation, the larva bids a farewell to 

 speak as the poets speak to the busy staring 

 world for awhile, and loses all recollection of its 

 past history, in the night of torpidity upon which 

 it has now entered. The larvae of the lady -bird, and 

 other insects, glue themselves fast to the under side 

 of a twig or leaf, and here pass the days of their 

 sleep in safety. Many of the larra of insects 

 whose life, up to this period, has been passed be- 

 neath the surface of some glassy pool, now quit 

 the pure element, and seek the shore, on which 

 they are to pass the remaining portion of their 

 existence. 



But there are two other ways in which larvse 

 prepare for the state of pupa, which are so curi- 

 ous, and prevail to such a large extent among 

 insects, that we may be excused for following the 

 example of all authors upon insect history, and 

 treating our readers to the interesting facts which 

 have been recorded by various observers upon 

 this subject. One of these is the plan of hanging 

 themselves up in the air, like sailors in their ham- 

 mocks; and in other positions, this plan is com- 

 monly called the suspension of the larva. The other 

 is the formation of beautiful cases of various kinds, 



