VORACITY OF LARV^. 189 



due weight appropriated to it), and the consequent discovery 

 of the natural system, can be obtained : thus the larvae of 

 the cockchafer, and other lamellicorn beetles, represent a 

 full-grown lulus, in its peculiar mode of rolling itself into a 

 coil on one side ; and the same analogy is exhibited by the 

 larvse of the sawflies. It woidd lead me too fai* to enter 

 more at length into these views, which, however, it would 

 have been improper to have entirely overlooked. 



I have said that it is during the larva state that the 

 chief supply of nutriment is taken by the laiTa. It mil 

 be proper, therefore, to enter into a few particulars rela- 

 tive to the voracity of insects at this period of their exist- 

 ence, and which, in proportion to their size, far exceeds that 

 which is exhibited by any of the larger animals. Thus, 

 Redi discovered that the larvae of the flesh-fly had become, in 

 the space of twenty-four liom'S, at least two hundred times 

 heavier than at first. And the Count Daudolo gives the fol- 

 lowing as the result of the most exact calculations made 

 from the observations of the cultivators of silk, who know 

 the exact weight of the leaves devoured by the caterpillars ; 

 1G09 and a half pounds weight of leaves being consumed by 

 the progeny raised from an ounce weight of eggs. 



First age, 6 lbs. of sorted leaves, 1^ lbs. refuse. 



Second ag-e, 18 „ 3 " 



Third age, 60 „ 9 " 



Fourth age, 180 „ 27 " 



Fifth age, 1098 „ 102 " 



105 allowed for evaporation. 



1362 + 2474 =l609i lbs. 



Deduct fiu-- 

 ther allow- 

 ance for lit- 1554 

 ter, uneaten 

 leaves, &c. 



12064 lbs. actually devoured. 



