84 INSECTS. 



in the woods and fields, and the larvae hatched from 

 them are popularly known as maggots. These render great 

 service in the speedy removal of offensive substances. 



The developmental changes may be studied without 

 discomfort, as follows: Expose out of doors a bit of lean 

 meat, so that the eggs may be laid upon it. Fill a flower- 

 pot or tin can or small box with sand, and on a chip 

 in the center of it place the bit of meat with the eggs 

 on it. Invert a tumbler over it, and push the rim of the 

 tumbler down into the sand. This will prevent the 

 escape of offensive odors, should such arise ; and the whole 

 can easily be arranged so that the developmental changes 

 may be witnessed through the glass. In a few hours the 

 eggs will hatch, and in a few days the larvae will be fully 

 grown. They will probably crawl beneath the chip or 

 into the sand, to transform into pupae. Upon the disap- 

 pearance of larvae, the oval pupae may be looked for. They 

 may transform speedily, or may continue as pupae through 

 the winter, according to the temperature and the season. 



The bluebottle fly is a representative of the group Dip- 

 tera (or two-winged insects). 



Other Diptera in general may be recognized by their 

 having but one pair of developed wings. They are always 

 and everywhere abundant except in winter. Many beau- 

 tiful and interesting species will be found about the 

 flowers of autumn. The following illustrative form is 

 recommended for further study here. 



THE BEE KILLER. 



(Asilus.) 



Characteristics. This is the dust-brown insect that 

 flits by our path in summer and autumn with such sud- 

 den and high-pitched sound of wings. This sound 



