44 



THE INSECT WORLD. 



are commonly known as " Daddy Longlegs," &c., and in France as 

 " TaiUeurs "and '' Coutiiricrcs,'' are fomid m fields at the end of I 

 September and commencement of October. 



"Although they sometimes fly a considerable distance, says 

 Reaumur, " when the sun is bright and hot, they generally do not go 

 far; often, indeed, only along the ground, or rather the top of the 

 grass Sometimes they only use their wmgs to keep them above the 

 level of the herbage, and to take them along. Their legs, particularly 

 the hind ones, are disproportionately large. They are three times 

 the length of the body, and are to these insects what stilts are to the 

 peasants of marshy and inundated countries, enabling them to pass 

 with ease over the higher blades of grass." 



One of the smaller species has been termed cuhciformis, on 

 account of its resemblance to the gnat. The smaller are more active 

 than the larger species which we have mentioned. Not only do they 

 fly more rapidly, but there are some kinds which are continually on 

 the wing. In all seasons, even during the winter, at certain hours of 

 the day, clouds of small insects are seen in the air, which are taken 

 for gnats : they are Tipidce. Their flight is worthy of attention ; they 

 «-enerally only rise and fall in the same vertical line. All these flies 

 come from larvje, which resemble very elongated worms, having 

 scaly heads, generally furnished with two very small conical antennse, 

 and certain other organs, for the purpose of obtaining food. Then 

 bodies are jointed without limbs, but nevertheless provided with 

 appendages which supply their place. The larvae of the various 

 species are of very different habits. Some are aquatic, as that o 

 Tipula culiciformis, a small species which is very numerous ir^ 

 stagnant waters. vi i 



It is necessary to say a few words about these wornvlike larvse^i 

 which are extremely common. They are of a brilliant red coloun 

 and inhabit litde oblong bent masses of earth, thickly pierced witl' 

 holes. Each hole allows a worm to extend its head, and the foremos 

 part of its body, out of the cell, which is made of light spong; 

 matters, remains of decayed leaves, &c. These larvae are transformev 

 into pup^, in the cell in which they have lived, during the larvi 

 state, losing by this metamorphosis the scaly coverings of the head an^ 

 of all the exterior parts. They pass into the pupa state, and_ hav^ 

 the thorax provided with dainty plumes, which probably assist m th 

 action of respiration. This pupa is very active and quick m i1 

 movements in the water. When the moment comes for its la; 

 metamorphosis, it throws oft' its feathery covering in much the saix 

 manner as the gnat. 



