PLY OX THE WTNG. 39 



is also repleated with a white viscous liquid squeezed out at 

 pleasure to giew herself to the surface." This aid of glutinous 

 secretion, except in a very slight degree, is now denied to the 

 performances of our wonderful climber ; an reste, the notion of 

 our old Philosopher knocked down by the " vacuum, " as if by 

 an air gun, seems now set up again. But are we assured, 

 seeing how lone mistaken notions will maintain their footing. 



O O O 7 



that, even now, we are perfectly correct about the footing of the 

 Ply? 



/ 



A Ely on the wing is a no less curious object than one on 

 foot, yet when do we trouble our heads about it, except as a 

 thing which troubles us ? The most obvious wonder of its flight 

 is its variety of direction, most usually forwards, with the back 

 upwards, like a bird, but on occasion, backwards, with the back 

 downwards, as when starting from the window and alighting 

 on the ceiling.'* Marvellous velocity is another of its charac- 

 teristics. By fair comparison of sizes, what is the swiftness of 

 a race-horse clearing his mile a minute to the speed of the Ply 

 cutting through her third of the same distance in the same 

 time? f And what the speed of our steaming giants, the grand 

 puffers of the age, compared with the swiftness of our tiny 

 buzzers, of whom a monster train, scenting their game afar, 

 may even follow partridges and pheasants on the wings 

 of steam in their last flight as friendly offerings ? But 

 however, with their game, the Flies themselves would be most 



Miulic. t Kirby ami Spenoc. 



VOL. I. D 



