168 



THE INSECT WOELD. 



fixed, and the insect can take advantage of the opening which 

 is made, and escape. Little by little also it advances its head. 

 The head is the first out of the old skin, and the insect sets itself 

 entirely free. 



This occupies rather a long time ; for one must remember that, 

 under the pupal envelope, its legs, its antennae, its wings, and 

 many other parts, are enclosed in special cases. These peculiar 

 circumstances show that the animal has much trouble and must 

 ^employ some time in setting free all the parts. 



At last our prisoner has come out of its narrow cell, and is 

 delivered from its old covering. "What poet can describe to us 

 the sensations of this charming and frail creature which has just 

 risen from the tomb, and for the first time is enjoying the splendid 

 light of day, the radiant sky, and the flowers 

 redolent with intoxicating perfumes, which are 

 inviting it to kiss and caress them ! 



The wings strike one most. They are very 

 small at the time of birth. 



Fig. 129 represents, after Reaumur,* a moth 

 at the moment in which it has just emerged 

 from the pupa. But at the end of a short 

 period the wings become developed ; only they 

 are wrinkled, as Fig. 130, given by Reaumur, 



Fig. 129. Moth just 



emerged. represents. 



Reaumur having taken between his fingers a very short wing 

 of a butterfly which was just hatched, drew it 

 about gently in all directions. He succeeded thus 

 in giving it the whole extent it would have 

 assumed naturally. According to Reaumur the 

 wing of a butterfly just born, which appears so 

 small, is really already provided with all its parts, 

 only it is folded and refolded on itself. He sup- 

 poses that what his hands did to lengthen the 

 butterfly's wing, is done naturally by the liquids 

 which are about the insect which has just emerged, 

 and whose wings are no longer confined in 

 their cases, At the time of its birth the wings are flat and 



* Tome i. p. 654, planche 46, Fig. 1. 



