LOCUSTS 165 



those of mature age, have a great haunch striped with red and 

 a long shank shaped like a two-edged saw. 



The wing-cases are at present two skimpy, triangular 

 pinions, of which the free ends stand up like pointed gables. 

 These two coat-tails, of which the material seems to have 

 been clipped short with ridiculous meanness, just cover the 

 creature's nakedness at the small of the back, and shelter two 

 lean strips, the germs of the wings. In brief, the sumptuous, 

 slender sails of the near future are at present sheer rags, of 

 such meagre size as to be grotesque. From these miserable 

 envelopes there will come a marvel of stately elegance. 



The first thing to be done is to burst the old tunic. All 

 along the corselet of the insect there is a line that is weaker 

 than the rest of the skin. Waves of blood can be seen throbbing 

 within, rising and falling alternately, distending the skin until 

 at last it splits at the line of least resistance, and opens as 

 though the two symmetrical halves had been soldered. The 

 split is continued some little way back, and runs between the 

 fastenings of the wings : it goes up the head as far as the base 

 of the antennae, where it sends a short branch to right and left. 



Through this break the back is seen, quite soft, pale, hardly 

 tinged with grey. Slowly it swells into a larger and larger 

 hunch. At last it is wholly released. The head follows, pulled 

 out of its mask, which remains in its place, intact in the 

 smallest particular, but looking strange with its great eyes 

 that do not see. The sheaths of the antennae, without a 

 wrinkle, with nothing out of order, and with their usual posi- 

 tion unchanged, hang over this dead face, which is now half 

 transparent. 



This means that the antennae within, although fitted into 

 narrow sheaths that enclose them as precisely as gloves, are 

 able to withdraw without disturbing the covers in the smallest 

 degree, or even wrinkling them. The contents manage to 

 slip out as easily as a smooth, straight object could slip from 

 a loose sheath. This mechanism is even more remarkable in 

 the case of the hind-legs. 



