412 



JODBNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE QARDENEB. 



[ May 22, 187& 



Kature give them every facOity for seeing, just as does their 

 celerity of wing for securing their prey. 



Our most notable British species of this group of the Neu- 

 roptera, such as the Large-winged Dragon-fly (C. annulatus) 

 and the Many-spotted (^Eshna maculatissima),are mostly seen 

 flying solitarily, or, at least, not more than two or three are 

 observable about the same locality. These are from their size 

 splendid objects in the sunshine, but when killed and preserved 

 for their cabinet much of their beauty disappears, even with 



Larva of Dragon-fly, and imago emerging. 



the most careful stufling. These have long bodies ; the Libel- 

 lulas* proper, which are more common, have shorter bodies, 

 and they are less rapid in their motions. The abundant species 

 known as L. depressa has a broad abdomen, bluish in the 

 male, yellow iu the female insect, the latter being rather less 

 in size than her partner, but quite as ferociously inclined. 

 Another pretty species not uncommon in many districts is 

 L. quadrimaculata, distinguished by its four-spotted wings, 

 and which sometimes quits the vicinity of streams to fly 

 among the fields and gardens. To some of the species of 

 Dragon-fly the name " demoiselle " has been given by the 

 French in admiration of their graceful movements, and Latin 

 names have been used similarly expressive, such as C. virgo, 

 A. sponsa, and puella. These "damsels" are by no means as 

 amiable as the poetic fancy would make them out to be, and 

 they are, many of them, rapacious in the larval stage. Li the 

 aquarium some of the smaller larvaa of the genus Agrion live 

 seemingly without preying on other insects, feeding either 

 npon the leaves of aquatic plants, or upon Living creatures too 

 small to be discernible. 



Though the life of Dragon-flies in their imago or mature 

 condition only lasts a few weeks, or a mouth or two at the 

 most, the larval state must bo more than a year in duration 

 in some species, and the pupal some months, when the insect 

 is as capable of moving about as before, though eating little, 

 or, perhaps, not at all, and exhibiting the rudiments of the 

 wings which are shortly to transport it through the air. The 

 peculiarities of the " squat " larvic of the Libellulaj have been 

 often described in entomological and popular books. In some 

 species there exists a curious apparatus at the tail which 

 serves both for locomotion and respiration. Like fishes, they 

 oxidise themselves by means of the air contained in the water, 

 this being drawn into the abdomen and thence into the diges- 

 tive organs. The pumping apparatus can be opened or shut 

 at the pleasure of the insect, and it has a horny edging sur- 

 rounded with hairs. The jet of water driven out by the larva 

 propels it through the water by a succession of jerks, though 

 it can also creep in a cautious manner, and generally does this 

 when iu pursuit of its prey, which would be startled, and 

 possibly escape, if it were approached more rapidly. The dis- 

 tance to which a Dragon-fly larva can throw a jet of water has 

 been ascertained by curious individuals, and in this way : — 



* "U'e are indebted to Messrs. Cassell for this and the other illustrations to 

 this paper. 



A coloured Uquid is passed down cautiously near the taU by a 

 tube whUe the larva is in clear water ; when it has drawn in 

 qtiant. sutT. the tube is withdrawn, and shortly after the stream 

 of fluid comes forth, and is perceivable in the colourless water. 

 Only sometimes the creature wo'n't pump just at the right 

 moment ! In addition to the singular mode of respiration, a 

 marked peculiarity of structure is found iu the head of the 

 larger Dragon-fly larva', which is provided with a mask com- 

 posed of plates, which can be widened or thrust out, and the 

 edges of which are provided with spines, or what might almost 

 be called tusks. As Kirby remarks, after supposing how a 

 human being would appear if he had such an apparatcs 

 attached to hia face, " you wUl admit that your visage would 

 present an appearance not very engaging while concealed by 

 such a mask." "But," he adds, " it would strike still more 

 awe into the spectators were they to see you first open the two 

 upper jaw-plates, which would project from each temple like 

 the blinders of a horse ; and next, having by means of the 

 joint at your chin let down the whole apparatus, and un- 

 covered your face, employ them in seizing any food that pre- 

 sented itself, and conveying it to your mouth. Yet this pro- 

 cedure is adopted by the larva of the Dragon-fly. While the 

 mask is at rest, it applies close to, and covers the face. When 

 the insects would make use of it they unfold it like an arm, 

 catch the prey, at which they aim by means of the mandible- 

 like plates, and then refold it so as to hold the prey in a con- 

 venient position for the operation of the two pairs of jaws." 



These larv:e deUght to conceal themselves in the mud of 

 ponds, out of which they emerge upon their victims ; but, ia 

 spite of their rapacity, they are themselves seized upon and 

 devoured by such beetles as the Dytisci and Ilythii, as I have 

 observed in an aquarium. Even the stickleback, if pai-ticu- 

 larly hungry, will dart at them, and succeed in maiming them. 



Nepacinerea (Water-scorpion.) Notonecta glauca (Water-boatman.) 



The more elegant and less warhke larvos of the Agrions are 

 greedily devoured by other insects, especially the Water- 

 scorpions (Nepa-) and the Water-boatman (Notouecta glauca). 

 It is interesting in an aquarium to notice how insidiously an 

 individual of the former kind wiU steal along a stem of a 

 water plant, with expanded pincers, until he encloses in a fatal 

 embrace some unfortunate larva that was quite unaware oS 

 the approaching danger. — J. K. S. C. 



THE CHEEKY. 



Is the Foisted Cherry the parent of our cultivated varieties ? 

 Why was the variety May Duke so called? — An^ie. 



[The Cherry was introduced to England by the Romans. 

 Fliuy says, " The Cherry did not exist in Italy before the 

 period of the victory gained over Mithridates by L. LucuUus, 

 in the year of the City (J80. He was the first to introduce this 

 tree from Fontus, and now in the course of one himdred and 

 twenty years, it has travelled beyond the ocean, and arrived in 

 Britannia even." 



The Foisted Cherry, so called because grown in large quanti- 

 ties iu a parish of that name in Suffolk, bordering on Essex, 

 is the wild variety usually known as the Merry. Dr. Hogg iu 

 his "Vegetable Kingdom " observes that " The Cherries culti- 

 vated iu gardens and orchards have originated from two dis- 

 tinct species. Those which are called ' Hearts ' and ' Bigar- 

 reaus' are varieties of Cerasus avium, known by the names of 

 Merry, Mazzard, Corone, and Geau ; and the Dukes, Morellos, 



