36 
color. Though much less flat than a flax seed, its resemblance 
in color, size and form to that familiar object, is so striking as at 
once to be remarked by every one. 
Characters of the flax seed, or larva case. Different specimens 
of these flax seed like larva cases (fig. h. @. j.) vary in length from 
0.13 to 0.19 and in breadth from 0.05 to 0.08. They are shining, 
cylindrical-oval, more obtusely rounded at the lower or head end 
than at the other, which is generally attenuated into an acuminat- 
ed point or small projecting papilla. They are commonly com- 
posed of but nine obvious segments, and these are but slightly 
indicated by very faint acutely impressed transverse strie—a sim~ 
ilar transverse stria, but still more faint, being sometimes percep- 
tible (fig. h.) across the middle of some of the segments. Longi- 
tudinal impressed strie are sometimes present, (fig. j.) more con- 
spicuous than the transverse, and reaching a part or the whole 
length of the worm; and between these the surface is minutely 
acuducted (i. e. appearing as if lightly scratched by the fine point 
of a needle) longitudinally — all these longitudinal impressions 
being perhaps caused by the pressure of the veins and fibres of 
the plant, against which the worm has been imbedded. On the 
under side, (fig. 7.) towards the head end, the case is flattened, as 
if pinched together, so much so that the anterior segment seems a 
mere empty fold of the membrane, without any inflation sufficient 
to make room for internal yiscera. At this end is often observa- 
ble one or two little brush-like granules, resembling those on the 
soles of the feet of some carabidous insects. (One of these is in- 
dicated on the anterior edge of fig. 7.) Are these the relicts of 
the suctorial mouth of the larva? This larva case is compara- 
tively tough and leather-like at first, but becomes more brittle and 
also darker with age. 
Character of the dormant larva. On carefully opening the 
larva case just described, a worm (fig. 4.) is found within it, 
scarcely different in any respect from what it was immediately 
before entering upon this flax seed state. It has the same oval 
form, opake milk-white color, and green, cloud-like visceral spot 
or line beneath. The nine segments into which it appears divid- 
