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horny skin along the thorax, and drawing themselves out at the 
aperture, leaving (like a snake) a perfect exuvia of every part, 
including eyes, horns, feet, and it is believed also of the internal 
organs. Immediately after this operation, the Wire worms are 
very tender, and of a whitish colour; but as soon as they recover 
from this great effort of nature, they move about with the great- 
est facility, gliding along and soon burrowing into the earth 
when dug up and laid on the surface, their horny coats being 
well adapted to their subterranean habits.” 
"When the Wireworm has arrived at maturity, (five years 
of age) it descends a considerable depth into the earth, forms an 
oval cell there, entirely composed of the surrounding particles 
of soil, and not even lined with silk as in the Turnip Saw-fly ; 
it then casts its skin again, and becomes a pupa or chrysalis, 
generally, it seems, at the end of July or beginning of August ; 
it is long and narrow in form, like the perfect insect, but is of 
a yellowish white. They remain in the pupa state two or three 
weeks, but many no doubt pass the winter buried and protected 
from casualities and the rigour of that inclement season; when, 
however, the appointed time comes, they burst from their 
shrouds and the earthly tombs they inhabit, and rising through 
the soil arrive at the surface, changed to perfect beetles, but of 
a whitish colour, soft, and extremely tender; exposed to the 
air and light, their bodies harden and their colour gradually 
changes, so that in a few' hours they have attained the horny 
coat which covers them, and assumed the tints which the Autlior 
of nature has assigned to the species.” 
“ The parts of the animal which were lately indistinctly seen 
as through a veil, are now distinctly visible; and all the mem- 
bers are liberated to give action to its body and animation to all 
its senses. They walk and run like dogs, with their heads and 
trunks declining, their noses close to the ground ; when they 
leap, their legs are applied closely to their bodies, and by the 
same means they fall down when the plants are approached 
upon w Inch they are resting. Its habits are now quite altered ; 
instead of the ravenous and destructive Wireworm it is now 
become an active beetle, running up the grass and readily fly- 
ing to flowers, to which it resorts for food.” Thus do we witness 
a metamorphosis instructive to all, — a subject which will be 
continued in a future number. 
