ON LARV.E. 67 



of life, which is generally passed in the earth. But 

 for the races of aquatic larva;, whose appear- 

 ance and habits are much less known, wc have no 

 convenient popular name at all. The generic term 

 larvae, therefore, as applicable to all classes, will be 

 the only one I shall use in the remainder of this 

 Chapter. 



The larvae of insects, on first escaping from the 

 egg, are of three kinds : first, such as arc nearly of 

 their full size when first hatched ; that is to say, that 

 do not grow materially in the larva stage, and have 

 pretty nearly the same form as in their perfect state. 



The second class are also of nearly their full size 

 when first hatched, and always perfect in general 

 form, with the exception of the wings, which are 

 developed by degrees. 



The third class contains those larvae which, 

 when first hatched, are of very minute size, in pro- 

 portion to that which they are destined to attain, 

 and which exhibit in their larva state little or no 

 resemblance to the form of the perfect insect. To 

 this class belong most insects which undergo what 

 has been termed the perfect metamorphosis. 



Larvae may be said to be of no sex, though, as 

 in the case of the eggs of birds, a certain 

 number are so organized as to become males and 



