THE MOSQUITO 



95 



palps, and antennae are withdrawn, and at first 

 remain bent backwards berysath the body of 

 the insect. Gradually the bases of the wings 

 and the abdomen emerge, and soon the wings 

 are freed and immediately flatten out and 

 begin to harden. The legs and the tip of 

 the abdomen alone 

 now remain to be 

 dealt with. At 

 this stage the in- 

 sect projects far 

 beyond the an- 

 terior end of the 

 pupa encasement, 

 and somewhat 

 resembles an ex- 

 aggerated figure- j^Q 25.— Imago of a mosquito e?- 

 head on a ship, tractmg itself from the pupa-case, which 

 rm • floats on the surface of the water. Mag 

 The pupa-case is ^ified. (From Guiart.) 



still filled with air, 



and acts as a float to support the emerging 

 insect. At last the front legs are being 

 freed, the second and third pair of legs soon 

 follow, and now the insect is standing on 

 the surface of the water raised on its tarsal 

 joints, the tip of the abdomen being the last 

 part to free itself from the pupa-case. 



The exit of the fly is naturally a very 

 critical pediod in its life-history, and in many 

 cases it is fatal. The freeing process takes 



