Female Corydalus
John, you were fortunate in your hunting.
In spite of its terrifying appearance, see what wonderful wings the corydalus has.
See! John has spread out the wings of the female.
They are indeed beautiful.
May cannot understand how those great wings came out of those little wing pads.
When the wings were first pulled out of the wing pads they were small, but they rapidly expanded and became thin and broad and long as the air touched them.
You will understand that better after a while.
The corydalus differs from all the other insects we have studied, in its metamorphosis.
It begins life far more unlike its parents than the other insects we have been looking at, for they had the thorax and abdomen distinct from the beginning. Instead of changing gradually and remaining active all the time up to the final metamorphosis, our corydalus goes into the pupa state, and in that motionless condition transforms to the perfect insect.