CONTENTS. 



XI 



Theories devised to account for crimson snow . 

 Curious fact explaining this, by Mr. T. Nicholson 

 Does not explain the red snow of the Alps. 



CHAPTER XV. 



Peculiar motions of insects 



Motion indispensable to life .... 



Anecdote of a water-measurer . 



Mode of combing themselves used by spiders . 



Oscillatory motions of some tipulidae. 



Vibratory motions of syr][ihi on the wing. 



Similar motions of hawks, red-breast, &c. . 



Experiment on Scioptera vihrans . . . 



Ilhistrated by the wag-tail, &c.. 



Gnat dauces in winter ..... 



Opinion of Wordsworth and others 



Similar aerial dances of rooks 



Night gambols of Corethrce? on a book 



Circular movements of a summer fly . . 



Sportive movements not necessarily social . 



Account of the whirlwig, by Kirby and by Knapp 



Remarkable structure of its eyes 



Battles of butterflies .... 



Choral assemblies of ephemeridae . • 



Account of these by Reaumur 



Sports of ants ...,., 



Gymnastics of ants, according to Huber . 



Page 

 352 

 354 

 355 



356 

 ib. 

 357 



358 

 359 

 360 

 361 

 362 

 363 



ib. 

 364 



ib. 

 365 

 366 

 367 

 368 

 370 

 371 

 373 



ib. 

 376 

 377 



CHAPTER XVI. 



Peculiar locomotions of insects ....... 379 



Examples from quadrupeds ...... ib. 



Singular movements of some plant-bugs .... 380 



trailing of the whirlwig beetle. ..... 381 



Walking on water by spiders, &c 382 



Walking through water by aquatic mites • . . 383 



Oblique pace of midges ....... 384 



Insect with its legs on its back ..... 385 



Rapid galloping of the strawberry-mite .... 386 



Slow movements of the oil-beetles 387 



Supposed sponges in the foot of the fly . . . . 388 



Correct notions of Derham and White, proved by Sir E. Home 389 



Apparatus in the feet of flies 390 



Leaping muscles of the flea ...... 392 



Leaping of grasshoppers and springtails .... 393 



Springing of spiders on their prey 394 



Flight of insects .395 



Mechanism of insects' wings and their muscles, according to 



M. Chabrier 396 



Flying of spiders without wings 397 



CHAPTER XVn. 



Rest of insects 399 



Night insects rest in the day ib. 



