60 NEUROPTERA. 



stream. This is the first winged condition of Ephemera; 

 he is now in what is aptly termed his sub-imago state ; 

 his wings are scarcely dry, and his muscles are unequal 

 to great exertion ; he is a heavy clumsy flier, now he 

 drops for a second or two on the water, then flops 

 along helplessly ; but by-and-bye he may gain the 

 bank, where he will remain two or three hours perhaps, 

 and then another change will take place. Look at this 

 blade of grass ; what is the shadowy form that clings 

 lifelessly to it ? It is a delicate membrane, thin and 

 light as possible, which the slightest breath will blow 

 away. Notice the split across the back. It is the 

 cast-off skin of the Ephemera in its sub-imago state, 

 now metamorphosed into a creature more active than 

 harlequin or columbine — the male into a dark-brown 

 insect with clear gauze-like wings, the female into a 

 beautiful creature with body marbled white and brown. 

 How different now is the mode of flight ! No longer a 

 clumsy helpless fluttering, but a swift strong flight, not 

 unlike that of the Dragon-fly, is that of the perfect 

 Ephemeral imago. Now high in the air, now sailing 

 along close to the surface of the water, she ever and 

 anon dips gently into it and leaves a few eggs therein. 

 This is the sole object of her life now she has become 

 a mother ; not a particle of food has she tasted since 

 she left her nymphal state and her deserted swaddling 

 clothes to the mercy of the stream ; nor will she take 

 food so long as her short life lasts. If you examine 

 the digestive apparatus of any of these insects, whether 

 male or female, in the sub-imago or imago condition, 

 you will never find the slightest traces of food in the 

 stomach ; this organ, as well as the whole intestinal 



