294 MOTIOMS OF INSECTS. 



ascended to the point it wishes to reach. At this time 

 if taken it will be found to have a packet of thread, 

 from which, however, it soon disengages itself, between 

 the two last pairs of perfect legs^. To see hundreds of 

 these little animals pendent at the same time from the 

 boughs of a tree, suspended at different heights, some 

 working their way downwards and some upwards, af- 

 fords a very amusing spectacle. Sometimes, when the 

 "wind is high, they are blown to the distance of several 

 yards from the tree, and yet maintain their threads un- 

 broken. 1 witnessed an instance of this last summer, 

 when numbers were driven far from the most extend- 

 ed branches, and looked as if they were floating in 

 the air. 



Having related to you what is peculiar in the mo- 

 tions of pedate larvae upon the earth and in the air, I 

 must next say something Avith respect to their locomo- 

 tive powers in the water. Numbers of this description 

 inhabit tliat element. — Amongst the beetles, the genera 

 J)j/tiscus^ I/i/chopJiilus, Gj/rini(s, Elmis, Poi^nus, He- 

 ierocerus, Elophorus, Hi/drcena, &c. : amongst the bug 

 tribes {Cimicidce)^ Gerris, Vclia, Jli/drometra, Noto- 

 necto, Sigara, Nepa, Ranatra^ Naucoris ; a few Lepl- 

 doptera; the majority of TnW/ojj/c/Y/; Libef/ula,Aes/ina, 

 Agrion^ Sialis, Ephemera, &c. amongst the Neurop" 

 tera ; Ciikx and many of the TipuUdce from the dipte- 

 rous insects ; and from the Aptera, Atax, some Podura'y 

 and many of the Oniscidce, &c. — All these, in their 

 larva state, are aquatic animals. 



The motions of these creatures in this state are va- 

 rious. Some walk on the ground under water ; some 



• Ilpauin. ii. 375— 



