4 BowDiTCH on Hydrocharis ohtnsatus and Magdalis olyra. 



the middle of the body, the larva then after some struggle 

 let go, the leech at the same time loosening his hold; the 

 larva was apparently unhurt as he swam off in a lively 

 manner, while the tail of the leech was completely divided 

 by the jaws of his opponent; they were about of even size, 

 the leech's length being difficult to judge on account of his 

 contractile habits ; if the larva had been a little stronger I 

 have no doubt he would have come off conqueror. The 

 small dragon-fly grubs flee from them in the greatest 

 dismay. 



May 13, the second egg case hatched to-day about 

 fourteen or fifteen larvae. I put in some mosquito pupoB in 

 hopes they would prove a great acquisition in shape of food, 

 but they were so very lively that they were caught very 

 seldom together, and even when caught, they struggled so 

 furiously as to get away in almost every instance. They 

 seem, moreover, to be too tough, as I noticed the largest 

 larva spit out one which he had been trying to eat, and only 

 when very hungry would they touch them at all. 



In the afternoon a third o^^g of the same appearance as 

 the others, was observed on the surflice, though this was a 

 trifle smaller than the former ones. The larvae have all 

 adopted the practice of eating with their head, and 

 front part of the body out of the water; the oidy reason I 

 can imagine is, that the things they feed on are very jnicy, 

 and if they eat them under water the juices would in great 

 measure be lost, whereas, hy lifting the prey out of wa- 

 ter, the juice simply collects on the body itself and is 

 easily sucked up; for that reason 1 believe they never 

 try to eat anything but what they can lift wholly out of the 

 water. 



On May 15, 1 caught the last large dragon-fly grubs, which 

 appear to have disposed of several of my young larva?. 



