+ 
April 24, 1873] 
NATURE 
487 
5. Hexapod antenniferous larve, of oblong form, some- 
what resembling the former, but with caudal appendages 
(Meloe, Sitaris). : 
The pupa of the Coleoptera is quiescent, and * “the 
parts of the future beetle are plainly perceivable, being 
incased in distinct sheaths ; the head is applied against 
the breast ; the antennz lie along the sides of the thorax ; 
the elytra and wings are short and folded at the sides of 
the body, meeting on the under side of the abdomen; the 
two anterior pairs of legs are entirely exposed, but the 
hind pair are covered by wing-cases, the extremity of the 
thigh only appearing beyond the sides of the body.” 
In the next three orders, the Orthoptera (grasshoppers, 
locusts, crickets, walking-stick insects, cockroaches, &c.), 
Euplexoptera (earwigs), and Thysanoptera, a small group of 
insects well known to gardeners under the name of Thrips, 
the larvze when they quit the egg (Pl. 1 and 2, Figs. 1 
and 2) already much resemble the mature form, differing 
in fact principally in the absence of wings, which are more 
or less gradually acquired, as the insect increases in size. 
They are active throughout life. Those specimens which 
have rudimentary wings are, however, usually called 
pupee. 
The Neuroptera present, perhaps, more differences in the 
character of their metamorphoses than any other order of 
insects. The larve are generally active, hexapod, little 
creatures, and do not differ in appearance so much as those, 
for instance, ot the Coleoptera, but the essential difference 
is in the pupz ; some groups, as, for instance, the Psocidz, 
Termitidz, Libellulidaee, Ephemeridz, and Perlidz, re- 
maining active throughout life, like the Orthoptera ; while 
a second division, including the Myrmeleonidz, Hemero- 
biidze, Sialidze, Panorpidze, Raphidiide, and Mantispidee, 
have quiescent pupz, which, however, in some cases, ac- 
quire more or less power of locomotion shortly before 
they assume the mature state ; thus, the pupa of Raphidia, 
though motionless at first, at length acquires strength 
enough to walk, while still enclosed in the pupa skin, 
which is very thin.+ 
One of the most remarkable families belonging to this 
order is that of the Termites, or white ants. They 
abound in the tropics, where they are a_ perfect 
pest, and a serious impediment to human develop- 
ment. Their colonies are extremely numerous, and they 
attack woodwork and furniture of all kinds, generally 
woiking from within, so that their presence is often un- 
suspected, until it is suddenly found that they have com- 
letely eaten away the interior of some post or table, 
eaving nothing but a tnin outer shell. Their nests, 
which are made of earth, are sometimes ten or twelve feet 
high, and strong enough to beara man. One species, 
Termes lucifugus, is found in the South of France, where 
it has been carefully studied by Latreille. He found 
in these communities five kinds of individuals —(1) males ; 
(2) females, which grow to a very large size, their bodies 
being distended with eggs, of which they sometimes lay as 
many as 80,000 in a day; (3) a kind described by some 
observers as Pupz, but by others as neuters. These 
differ very much from the rest, having a long, soft 
body without wings, but with an immense head, and very 
large, strong jaws. These individuals act as soldiers, 
doing apparently no work, but keeping watch over the 
nest and attacking intruders with great boldness. (4) 
Apterous, eyeless individuals, somewhat resembling the 
winged ones, but with a larger and more rounded head ; 
these constitute the greater part of the community, and 
like the workers of ants and bees, perform all the labour, 
building the nest and collecting food. (5) Latreille men- 
tions another kind of individual which he regards as the 
pupa, and which resembles the workers, but has four 
white tubercles on the back, where the wings will after- 
wards make their appearance There is still, however, 
much difference of opinion among entomologists, with 
* Westwood’s Introduction, vol, i. p. 36. + Ibid. vol. ii. p. 52. 
reference to the true nature of these different classes of 
individuals. M. Lespés, moreover, who has _ recently 
studied the same species, describes a second kind of male 
and a second kind of female. The subject, indeed, is one 
which offers a most promising field for future study. 
Another interesting family of Neuroptera is that of the 
Ephemere, or mayflies (Pl. 3, Fig. 1), so well known to 
fishermen. The larvee (Pl. 4, Fig. 1) are semi-transparent, 
active, six-legged little creatures, which live in water, 
and having at first no gills, respire through the general 
surface of the body. They grow rapidly and change their 
PLATE 4 
Pu. 4.—Fic. 1, Larva of Chloeon, 2, Larva of Meloe (ater Chapnis Candeze). 
3, Larva of Caepteryx (after Leow Dufour). 4, Larva of Sitaris 
5, Larva o: Can pe dea (atier Gervais). 6, Larva of Acilius 7. Larva 
of Termes (after Blanchard) 8, Larva of Stylops. 9, Larva of 
Thrips. 
skin every few days. After one or two moults they acquire 
seven pairs of branchize, or gills, which are in the form of 
Jeaves, one pair toa segment. When they are about half 
:rown, the posterior angles of the two posterior thoracic 
segments begin to elongate. These clongations become 
moreand more marked with every skin. One morning, in 
the month of June, some years ago, I observed a full-grown 
larva, which had a glistening appearance, owing to the pre- 
