438 TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



rapidity, with the aid of the long middle feet, which act like oars. 

 The Livinocharis attaches itself in the larval condition to the 

 body of the Gcrt'is, selecting the neighbourhood of the head in 

 preference to any other spot for its point of attack. This takes 

 place before and during the month of July, and then the small 

 bright red larvae, with great movable suckers, looking like heads, 

 may be seen hanging on with their six legs, terminating in strong 

 claws. When the larvae are fixed they dig their suckers into the 

 Gcrris, and live at its expense, and are moved about from place 

 to place by their restless and unwilling entertainer. Having 

 attained at last the size of a pin's head, the larvse detach them- 

 selves, and sink down through the water, and crawl over the 



Adult. Larva. 



Hydrachna geographica. ([Magnified. ) 



weeds and bottom slowly, and seek a hole or a crevice, down 

 which they plunge. There the metamorphosis takes place, and 

 the six-legged larvae become motionless nymphs. The nymph 

 stage lasts fifteen days, and then a small brilliant red eight-legged 

 adult Limnocharis emerges. 



The globular water mite called Hydi^acJma gcograpJiica may be 

 taken as the type of the genus Hydradina ; but M. Duges has 

 given such interesting details respecting a closely-allied species, 

 HydracJina globula (Hermann), that we do not hesitate to take 

 advantage of them, especially as they convey most correct impres- 

 sions concerning the metamorphosis.* 



The true Hydraclinco are distinguished by their beaks being as 



* Duges, Op. Cit., p. i6l et seq. 



