INTKODUCTION. 21 



the ovipositor, which is destined to make holes for the reception of 

 the eggs. By a wonderful instinct the mother always lays her eggs 

 in a place where her young, on being hatched, can find an abundance 

 of nutritious substances. It will not be needless to observe that in 

 most cases these aliments are quite different to those which the 

 mother seeks for herself. 



In the second stage, that is to say, on leaving the egg the 



Fig. 15. Nervous system of Carabus auratus. 



larva period the insect presents itself in a soft state, without 

 wings, and resembles a worm. In ordinary language, it is 



