790 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
HIB8B. LABTA. THE UOV1BQ LARVA. 
ing and elongating itself. When thus wet and in motion several 
parts of its structure which were not perceptible before become 
plainly visible, and it now presents the appearance shown by 
fig. 12 of the same plate. 
The moving larva is of a more elongated and elliptic form, topering to an acuto point at 
its fore end and much more blunt behind* Thirteen segments are now plainly to be seen. 
Of these the three first and tho last have a smooth surface and are whitish and semi-trans¬ 
parent, only the nine intervening ones being yellow and with their surface granulated. Each 
segment is fringed at its end with a row of small hairs like eyelashes. We only perceive these 
hairs at the corners of the segments in the view wo have in fig. 12. But when the head is 
retracted, bringing the anterior edge of the next segment into view as in fig. 13, wo find 
these hairs are continued along tho whole length of the edge. The headris conical, moro 
long than broad, tapering to an acute point in front, and has a depression on each side near 
the middle, where is inserted a short thread-like process, forming with its fellow a pair of 
horns, which arc articulated at their bases. The last segment is cut off transversely in a 
straight line; but as the worm crawls, when it draws the hind part of its body forward with 
each step it takes, this hind end becomes strongly concavo. When the worm is dry and 
endeavoring to crawl on a dry surface, this end of its body becomes wholly different, appear¬ 
ing as seen in fig. 14. It is here strongly concave, its angles acute and tooth-like, with two 
similar teeth between them, which may be of the same siae or retracted and showing their 
points only. And on each side of this last segments rounded tubercle is sometimes protruded 
out from beneath, bearing a conical point and resembling a pro-leg. Under the same circum¬ 
stances the anterior end also becomes as represented in fig. 13, the head being wholly retracted 
and leaving only tho ends of its horns visible. 
When the larva is coated over with a pellicle of water it 
moves with perfect facility by alternately contracting and elon¬ 
gating itself. Stretching itself forward it attaches the fore part 
of its body to the surface and then draws up the hind part and 
attaches this by the last segment, at the same time raising the 
middle of its body slightly upward from the surface. With each 
step it takes the dusky spot in the centre of its body moves 
backward and forward a distance equal to its usual length. If 
it is a slanting surface on which it is moving it always takes the 
downward direction, evidently aware that is the direction in 
which the earth it is to enter will soonest he reached, and if a 
different inclination is given to the surface it immediately per¬ 
ceives it and changes its course accordingly. 
When the pellicle of water in which it is enveloped evaporates, 
its locomotive powers are gone. It still essays to advance that 
it may get to the ground, but does this in a most awkward, bun¬ 
gling manner, making but little progress with much labor. It 
now protrudes the sharp teeth from tho tip of its body, repre¬ 
sented in fig. 14, and curving this end of the body under, it 
presses these teeth to the surface, and then by straightening 
pushes itself along. Its head at the same time is drawn back 
