168 THE INSECT WORLD. 
fixed, and the insect can take advantage of the opening which is 
made, and escape. Little by little also it advances its head. 
The head is the first out of the old skin, and the insect sets itself 
entirely free. 
This occupies rather a long time; for we must remember that, 
under the pupal envelope, its legs, its antenne, its wings, and 
many other parts, are enclosed in special cases. These peculiar 
circumstances show that the animal has much trouble and must 
employ some time in setting free all the parts. 
At last our prisoner has come out of its narrow cell, and is 
delivered from its old covering. What poet can describe to us 
the sensations of this charming and frail creature which has just 
risen from the tomb, and for the first time is enjoying the splendid 
light of day, the radiant sky, and the flowers 
redolent with intoxicating perfumes, which are 
inviting it to kiss and caress them ! 
The wings strike one most. They are very 
small at the time of birth. 
| Fig. 129 represents, after Réaumur,* a moth 
# at the moment in which it has just emerged 
from the pupa. But at the end of a short 
period the wings become developed; only they 
are wrinkled, as Fig. 130, given by Réaumur, 

Fig. 129.—Moth just 
emerged. represents. 
Réaumur having taken between his fingers a very short wing 
ae 7 of a butterfly which was just hatched, drew it 
about gently in all directions. He succeeded thus 
in giving it the whole extent it would have 
assumed naturally. According to Réaumur the 
wing of a butterfly just born, which appears so 
small, is really already provided with all its parts 
only it is folded and refolded on itself. He sup- 
poses that what his hands did to lengthen the 
butterfly’s wings, is done naturally by the liquids 
ME ae which are contained in the insect which has just 
wings are folded up. emerged, and whose wings are no longer confined 
in their cases. At the time of its birth the wings are flat and 
* Tome 1., p. 654, planche 46, Fie. 1. 

