ODD LARVAE. 79 



the margin. The hinder tibiae are not straight, as in 

 all the other members of the genus, but are strongly 

 curved, like those of a bow-legged man. 



We will now trace the progress of the insect from 

 the egg to the perfect Beetle. 



Soon after they are deposited, the eggs are 

 hatched ; the larvae being rather long, fleshy, 

 narrowed at each end, and having the segments, or 

 rings, of the body very distinctly marked. The legs 

 are very tiny, and much too small to move the large, 

 heavy body. A curious substitute for legs is, how- 

 ever, found. On the upper surface of each segment 

 is a horny plate, with strongly-toothed edges. By 

 alternately elongating and shortening its body, the 

 creature is able to force its way through the soft 

 material on which it feeds, just as a snake glides upon 

 the ground, or the worm beneath it. Imperfect as 

 these appliances may seem to be, they enable the 

 larva to scramble along with tolerable speed. 



When the larva has attained the length of an inch 

 and a half, and is full-fed, it prepares for its change 

 into the pupal state. This it does by ceasing to 

 feed, and making for itself a sort of cell or cocoon 

 under the ground, in which it casts off its larva skin, 

 and becomes a rather odd-looking pupa, having the 

 end of its tail armed with two sharp spines, by 

 means of which it is able to turn itself about in its 

 cell, from which it emerges, in the spring, a perfect 

 Beetle. 



THE genus Silpha is known by the flattened body, 

 the antennae being less boldly clubbed, and having 



