BowinTCH on Hi/drocharis ohtuMUus and Magdalis ohjra. o 



for some distance beyond the mandibles and filamentary 

 appendages, or a fringe of that natnre, which protrnde 

 from the sides of the body, though apparently arranged 

 without any system as regards the segments. 



They seem to prefer to keep near the top where they 

 clutch a piece of grass, and elevate their tails so as to be 

 just at the surface, apparently breathing through them. 



May 8. The fringe above spoken of (which was very 

 indistinct when the larv^B were first hatched) has assumed 

 the character of separate arm-like projections which doubt- 

 less form a part of its subaquatic breathing apparatus. I 

 found something which they like to eat, viz: the larvae of 

 a small species of fly (Chironomus), which is found on grass 

 and stones, in brooks etc. On placing one of them before a 

 grub he immediately shot forward, and seizing it in his jaws 

 devoured it with the greatest voracity. Their appetite is 

 something ahirming, and it is difficult to find food enough 

 to satisfy them. They appear to confine themselves almost 

 wholly to the surface, and dislike to go more than an inch 

 below. I have only noticed one instance where one has gone 

 to the bottom of the aquarium. The most of them prefer 

 to eat below the surface, but one invariably rears the front 

 of his body and head out of water, and eats in that position. 



They are very bold and do not hesitate to attack an 

 insect larger than themsefves. They will not eat butcher's 

 meat, or cricket^, or flies or things of that kind. Wlien not 

 eating they remain with the tail upraised, the body slightly 

 bent, and the jaws extended, ready to grasp anything which 

 comes along. 



On May 12, I witnessed a combat between a leech and 

 one of the larvae the latter seized the^leech by the poste- 

 rior end, and attempted to eat him, the leech curled over 

 and after some effort manas-ed to seize the larva in about 



