The Cionus 
that disfigured it at first. It is lying at full 
length on its ventral surface. 
3 P.M—Under the skin, especially on 
the back, the lens reveals subtle pulsations, 
slight tremors, like those of a liquid surface 
on the point of boiling. The dorsal vessel 
itself is dilating and contracting, throughout 
its length, more actively than usual. This 
means a fit of fever. Some internal change 
must be preparing, which will affect the whole 
organism. Can it be the preparation for a 
moult ? 
5 P.M.—No, for the grub is no longer 
motionless. It leaves its heap of dirt and 
begins to move along impetuously, more rest- 
lessly than ever. What is happening that is 
in any way unusual? I think I can obtain 
some idea of it with the aid of logic. 
Remember that the sticky coat in which the 
grub is clad does not dry up: this is a con- 
dition indispensable to liberty of movement. 
If changed into a hard varnish, a dry film, 
it would hamper, would indeed stop the 
crawling; but, so long as it remains liquid, it 
is the drop of oil that lubricates the loco- 
motory machine. This moist coating will 
however, constitute the material of the nym- 
321 
