STATES OF INSECTS. 237 



tions. The difficulty of comprehending how animals be- 

 fore so voracious can live so long without food may be 

 partly surmounted, by adverting to the circumstance of 

 its having attained its full growth, and laid up a store of 

 nutriment for the development of the perfect insect. It 

 is consequently no more wonderful that it should not 

 have need of any further supply without casting off its 

 upper integument, than that it should not eat after hav- 

 ing done so and become a pupa. 



