with much swiftness. When the female is about 

 to deposite her eggs, she ejects a considerable 

 number of them, which remain attached together 

 at the extremity of her abdomen; these she 

 places in a favourable situation, on the stalk or 

 leaf of a water-plant, or other object, from 

 which the young larva may readily pass into 

 the water. Here it soon begins to fabricate a 

 tubular, portable dwelling, which, as respects 

 form, may be compared to that of the clothes- 

 moth. This domicil consists of a silky matter, 

 with various objects attached to the exterior, 

 such as sand, gravel, small pieces of wood or 

 reed, &c., so proportioned that its weight exceeds 

 but little that of the water. As the inhabitant 

 increases in bulk, the tube at length becomes 

 too small, and is necessarily abandoned. Another, 

 of suitable dimensions, is, however, soon con- 

 structed, and the little animal is again in a state 

 of security. This artisan, is of a cylindrical, 

 somewhat elongated form, consisting of twelve 

 joints or segments ; on the fourth joint is gene- 

 rally a conic tubercle on each side, and on the 

 ultimate segment are two moveable hooks : these 

 projections from the body, appear to be useful 

 as points of support against the sides of the 

 tube. The head is of a firm consistence, fur- 



PLiATE 44. 



