EriiYDinniR. 109 



cbyma of the leaves of Lei)ina, on AUsvm 2>^f'ntago, etc.; those 

 of Pellnn, Pari/dra and Ej^hijdra m water. Of especial in- 

 terest are the iiabits of the larv<e of various Ephydrip, as the 

 following account related to the Avriter by Prof. W. H. Brewer 

 will show: "The waters of Lake Mono are clear, very heavy, 

 have a nauseous taste, and when still the lake lias a look as 

 of oil and is not easily disturbed. The water feel slippery to 

 the touch, and will wash grease from the hands or from clothes 

 cold, more readily than common soap-suds will when hot. It 

 is said that no fish or reptile lives in it, but it swarms with 

 countless millions of larvffi tliat develop into flies which rest 

 upon the surface of the water, as well as cover everything on 

 the immediate shore. The numbers and quantities of these 

 flies and larvae are absolutely incredible. They drift up in 

 heaps along the shore and hundreds of hvsliels could be col- 

 lected. They only grow at certain seasons of the year, and 

 then Indians come from far and near to gather tliem for food. 

 The larva? or pupse are dried in the sun, the shell rubbed off by 

 hand, when a yellowish kernel (pupa) like a small yellowish 

 grain of rice appears. This is oily, very nutritious, and not 

 unpleasant to the taste, and under the name of lioo-rhah-hee 

 (so pronounced) forms a very important article of food. The 

 Indians gave me some of it; it does not taste badly, and, if 

 one were ignorant of its origin, it would nuike nice soup." 



Another species, Epltydra hUins, is found in equally great 

 quantities in Lake Texcoco, near the city of Mexico, and Pro- 

 fessor Penafiel has given the writer tlie following notes con- 

 cerning them : 



" It is of the eggs of this insect that the greater part of 

 what is known as Ahuatle is comj)Osed and whicli is now used 

 by the natives, who have preserved the customs of the ancient 

 Aztecs. Tlie eggs are cleaned and ground into flour, and are 

 prepared by mixing witli hen's eggs and fried Avith fat into 

 small cakes. Tlie larva' arc also used for food under the 

 name f)f Purl.'''' 



