92 



rapidl.y across the scene, while, ever and anon, a giant among them 

 all, an adnlt bream would swim slowly through the grass, exhibit- 

 ing its wavj' fins and grace in its changeable course. Here also was 

 the paradise of aquatic insects : water beetles were chasing each other 

 about in their wild dance, now in a circle, one close on the other, then 

 suddenly oflF to the right and the left, back again to the centre, then 

 "all hands round," and off again: several species of Cadisflies, 

 slowly crawling along in their artful cases of sticks, of straws, or of 

 stones ; with now and then a large and handsome leech, stretched to 

 its utmost length, making all haste possible in its undulating course 

 to a more congenial spot ; or the little red spider, looking like a ruby 

 in the water, swimming about apparently with some grand object in 

 view.* While all this and much more was going on under the water, 

 how full of life was the air immediately over it. There were to be 

 seen several species of dragonflies darting about after their smaller 

 relatives, while occasionally one of these "dragons" would fall a 

 victim to a higher and more powerful foe to insect life, as a swallow 

 would dart over the water, sometimes even wetting its feathers in its 

 eagerness for a dainty bit. On almost every projecting blade of grass 

 could be seen the dried skins that had protected the dragons and their 

 friends while pursuing their aquatic life, but now left behind by the 

 brightly colored and guazy winged creatures whose short aerial lives 

 were to be spent in sunshine. On many of the blades of grass could 

 be seen the eggs of some aquatic dipterous insect in the form of large, 

 dark purple bunches, the weight of which was sufficient to bend the 

 grass over so that the eggs floated on the water. All this and much 

 more was taking place and could be seen as we stood up to the top of 

 our boots in the water ; and, I ask, was it not worth wading for and 

 watching for? In answer to my question I will say, try it once, 

 and you will be sure to do so again, if you find you have anything in 

 your head worth calling eyes. 



Several specimens were sent to the table for explanation, among 

 them a large mudturtle (Chelonura serpentina) which from his snap- 

 pish manner few in the party thought worthy of farther acquaintance, 

 but after a few remarks on his peculiar structure by Mr. Putnam, and 

 on suggestion that Chelonura soup was not to be despised, he was 

 looked upon with toleration. The habits of the dorbug were also 

 related, and an attempt was made to convince the }''oung ladies of the 

 Academy, who had evinced their special interest in this question, that 

 in its present adult form it was a harmless insect, and would not bite, 

 notwithstanding the peculiar sensation it occasioned in its attempts to 

 maintain a close acquaintance. A large moth collected by one of the 



*Mr. Hyatt collected a female spider with her eggs, which he saw deposited. 



