296 LARVA OF DRAGON-FLY. 



able destroyers we shall now describe, have yet to put on other 

 and more perfect forms, although their carnivorous capabilities 

 are fully developed. A common inhabitant of ponds, or of the 

 mud at their bottoms, is an ugly-looking animal, with a light 

 brown wingless body, and six legs, having the air and movements 

 of a little reptile more than of an insect. This creature has a 

 face, or to speak more correctly, a physiognomic appendage, to 

 behold the like of which on a larger scale, and mounted on the 

 shoulders of a man, would suffice, Medusa-like, to turn flesh 

 and blood to stone. Emboldened, however, by his want of bulk, 

 let us look at this monster in miniature, as he works death for 

 his living, at the bottom of a pond ; or, if that be difficult, at 

 the bottom of a basin, furnished with pond-water, mud, and 

 proper prey. It needs hardly, however, be observed, that the 

 sight of killing, in what form soever, ought not to be pleasant, 

 and is not profitable ; hardly to be sought for, even for the 

 sake of the curious macliinery and modus operandi of our 

 insect butcher. At all events, our younger readers would do 

 well to rest satisfied with the description of his murderous 

 mechanism, and choose more agreeable subjects for their 

 practical observations. Well, his great projecting eyes, always 

 on the watch for something eager to devour, have elected a 

 chosen victim. With cat-like stealth, he crawls towards it. 

 Now he is close upon his prey, and his next movement will 

 surely be to seize and grasp it with the foremost pair of his 

 hairy legs. But, what now ? Surely a mask is falling from 



