Hypermetamorphosis 



same gall-bladders, four in number, connected 

 with the rectum by one of their extremities. 

 Like the perfect insect, the larva is devoid 

 of salivary glands or any other similar ap- 

 paratus. Its nervous system comprises eleven 

 ganglia, not counting the oesophageal collar, 

 whereas in the perfect insect there are only 

 seven : three for the thorax, of which the last 

 two are contiguous, and four for the abdo- 

 men. 



When its rations are finished the larva re- 

 mains a few days in a motionless condition, 

 ejecting from time to time a few reddish 

 droppings until the digestive canal is com- 

 pletely cleared of its orange-coloured pulp. 

 Then the creature contracts itself, huddles it- 

 self together; and before long* we see coming 

 detached from its body a transparent, slightly 

 crumpled and extremely fine pellicle, form- 

 ing a closed bag, in which the successive trans- 

 formations will take place henceforth. On 

 this epidermal bag, this sort of trans- 

 parent leather bottle, formed by the larva's 

 skin detached all of a piece, without a slit 

 of any kind, we can distinguish the several 

 well-preserved external organs: the head, 

 with its antennae, mandibles, paws and palpi; 

 the thoracic segments, with their vestiges of 

 legs; the abdomen, with its chain of breath- 

 "5 



