GREY DRAKE. 35 



and die under the trees and buslies. I observed 

 that ilie females were most numeroii"-', whicli 

 was very necessary, considering the many ene- 

 mies ihey have, during the short time of their 

 appearance, for both birds and iish aie very fond 

 of them, and no doubt under the water they are 

 food for small aquatic insects. VV^hat is further 

 remarkable in this surprising creature is, that in 

 a life of a few days it eats nothing, seems to have 

 no apparatus for that purpose, but brings up with 

 it out of the water, sufficient support to enable 

 it to shed its skin, and to perform the principal 

 end of life with great vivacity. The particular 

 time when I observed them very numerous and 

 sportive, was on the 'iOthof May, at six o'clock 

 in the evening. It was a sight very surprising 

 and entertaining, to sec the rivers teaming with 

 innumerable, pretty, nimble, flying insects, and 

 almost every thing near covered with them. 

 When I looked up into the air it was full of 

 them, as high as £ could discern, and being so 

 thick, and always in motion, they made almost 

 such an appearance as when one looks up, and 

 sees the snow coming down : and vet this won 

 derttd appearance, in three or four days after the 

 last of May, totally disappeared.""^ 



I/AfrTIIORN-FLYj 



Found on every hawthorn bush when the leaves 

 come forth. It is used for dibbirig, in some ri- 

 vers for trouts. 



* That there should be a tribe of flies, whcsc"^ duration ex- 

 tends but to a day, seems at first surprising ; but the wonder 

 will increase, when we are tokl that some of this kind seem to 

 be born and die in the space of a single hour. 



