The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-07-08
II re Insect World.
RY FRoF. HIRAM CIRCUIT.
Bo ston Home Journal.

l.. Boston Home Journal. 7.r.is
One of the most remarkable facts in ma
ture is the nletamorphoses of insects. They
not only change theil form and nature, but
also their course of life. The caterpillar for
instance, after feeding upon leaves until he
is fully grown, r~etires into some place of
conceallnent, casts off his skin, and assumes
an apparent liteless condition, wherein he
has no power to move, nor to take food. He
has now no head or movable limbs. There
he rests tor awhile, waiting for a resurrection
which is sure to come. In due time the in
ward struggle begins, the chrysalis skin
bursts open, and from the rent comes out
not a worm but a butterfly fitted with wings
fitted for the upper air, and he goes forth in
search, not of leaves, which was the food of
the caterpillar, but of the .honeyed juices of
flowers and other liquids, which constitute
all his food. Here we have a beautiful but
terHy, the offspring and brother of a filthy
and disgusting worm. Who can understand
the transformation or explain the fact?
Another example is before us. In a pool
OF stagnant water may be seen numberless
little "~wrigglers," that devour the living
atoms which swarm in the same situation.
They soon come to maturity, cast of their
skins and assume another form, rolling them
sleeves up like a ball. Now they either float
upon the surface Of the water, or, when dis
turbed, uncurl their bodies and whirl over
from one side Of the pool to the other. In a
few days they are ready for another transform
alton. The skin on the back splits, and out
comes the mosquito, that pest of human kind
which infests e.ery swampy locality. His
lender legs stand upon the empty skin until
it fills with water and sinks, when he spreads
his tiny wings and flies away! From this
moment he pipes his war-notes, and seeks to
draw the blood Of his unlucky victims. How
changed! A few days ago he was a water
worm, adapted to that element alone. Now
he is an air fowl, armed and equipped for a
war OF invasion upon the human race
Ihirsting for blood he. goes forth to victory
or to death ; and his death is sure if we can
only catch him.
Here is a full fed maggot that roots in filth
until his skin is ready to burst with repletion.
lie now leaves the offensive matter, which he
helps to remove, and retires to some conyen-
lent hole, where his body contracts and short
ems and his skin hardens. He remains in
thls equlvocal form, in an inactive state, for
some time, when the end of his shell is forced
on and a buzzing fly comes forth. With his
cast OF dress he has dropped his filthy habits.
and with a more refined taste he takes his
meals at our tables and enjoys both the solid
and liquid portions of our food. And he
comes, too %unbidden, and refuses to leave
when our meal is finished. Thus VIC see
that caterpillars, grubs and maggots undergo
a complete Transformation in coming to ma
turity. Not so with other insects, such as the
cricket, grasshopper, bug anu plant lice. With
these the change is only partial. For in
stance, the young grasshopper has no wings
when first released from the egg, and he is
the obliged to : foot it," on all occasions.
After awhile he casts off his old skin. and his
body grows, imperfect wings make their an
pearance. He now becomes a great eater.
and grows rapidly in length and size, and ere
long his wings become available. and as soor
ne reaches the stature of a perfect grass
hopper ne can both hop and fly as best suits
ms purpose. The three periods in his life are
marked by corresponding changes in TOWN
power a habit In the period of infancy he
is called larya. This name ia annl;ed 10 n,,h.
.caterpillars and maggots. and to all ;nssrts
that undergo a. complete trsnsforma.ion :.
well as to the ~grasshopper and bug. and ~ IN
young insects before their wings begin 10 AM
pear. In this wingless state insects ,.s.
much of their time in eating. and oftan shad
their skin.