the fourth volume of Seba’s Thefaurus was of the 
fame opinion, and exprefsly warns his readers that 
his engraver, thinking to rectify what he fuppofed 
an erroneous drawing, has reprefented the legs in 
this larva as iituated beneath the thorax, and not on 
the upper part. The fagacious Lyonett, in his ob- 
fervations on LefTer’s <f Theologie des Infeftes,” 
feems to have been the firft who detected the com¬ 
mon error, and afeertained the real ftru&ure of the 
animal, which he has clearly and fatisfa&orily ex¬ 
plained. 
The larvae of the Dytifci remain about two? years 
before they change into pupae or chryfalides. When 
the larva is arrived at its full growth, it fecretes it- 
felf in the bank of the water it inhabits, and having 
formed a convenient cavity or cell, lies dormant for 
fome time; after which it diverts itfelf of its fkin, 
and appears in the form of a chryfalis; in which 
ftate having continued for fome time longer, it again 
delivers itfelf from its exuviae, and appears in its 
complete or Beetle form. When firft difengaged 
from the fkin of the chryfalis, it is of a pale color, 
and very tender : in the fpace however of a few 
hours, the elytra or wing-cafes acquire a degree of 
ftrength and a dark color, which gradually grows 
more and more intenfe, till the animal, finding it¬ 
felf fufficiently ftrong, comes forth from its retreat, 
and commits itfelf in its new form to the waters. 
The male Dytifci are diftinguilhed from the fe¬ 
males by the ftrucfture of the fore legs, which arc 
furniftied, near the fetting on of the feet, with a fort 
of horny, concave flap or fliicld : the legs of the 
M females 
