CONCLUSION OF DRAGON-FLY's HISTORY. 317 



and elongation of the wings. At length, generally 

 in a quarter of an hour's time, their development is 

 fully completed ; but they are not yet sufficiently 

 firm and resisting to use in flying. If left to 

 itself, the insect generally waits three, or even 

 four hours, before it puts them into inactivity. 

 In addition to the expansion and elongation of 

 its wings, its body also elongates, until it has 

 acquired its full dimensions. In vain should we 

 look at first for the splendid colours in which these 

 insects are decked ; all the tints are blotted and 

 unpleasing. Those charming species, which are 

 spotted with beautiful blue and yellow tints in- 

 tersprinkled with black, are, when they are but 

 just emerged from the pupa, of a whitish yellow 

 spotted with brown ; the yellow marks, however, 

 are seen to change to a beautiful deep orange, the 

 brown to black, and some of the yellow marks to 

 blue- 



The following interesting description of the 

 same changes as they take place in the butterfly 

 is from the valuable work of Messrs. Kirby and 

 Spence. " The pupa of a very interesting and 

 beautiful butterfly, the only one of its description 

 that Britain has yet been ascertained to produce, 



