ANECDOTE FROM DE GEER. 243 



and wandered about the sides of the boxes, which 

 contained water. Sometimes they would creep 

 out of the water, and again would go into it. They 

 seemed as if they were in search of something 

 which they had lost. It was now evident that 

 their object was to find some convenient place in 

 which to undergo their transformation into pupae, 

 but they did not like the boxes in which they 

 were confined, and several even died. I began to 

 despair of seeing their metamorphosis ; which gave 

 me much regret, as I had a great desire to become 

 acquainted with their whole history. In order 

 to satisfy myself, I went on the 26th of June 

 to the spot from whence I had taken them, in 

 order to discover, perchance, some larvae about to 

 become pupae, and to ascertain the places they 

 selected in which to undergo their change. I had 

 the gratification of being completely successful, 

 and of discovering not only the larvae, but even 

 several of them which had shut themselves up in 

 silken cocoons, and had not yet undergone their 

 tran sformation . 



" The month of June appears, therefore, to be 

 the period when these larvae prepare for their 

 change of forrn. They do not leave the water to 



