HEPWORTH ON THE FROG AND TOAD. 841 



attract liis lack-lustre eye — no wood, no field, no pond from which he may 

 gather or dredge up some potent charm to liberate his enthralled mind ? 

 Surely if such a one would but gaze around he would find food for 

 thought, and motives for recreative exercise in tlie objects with which he 

 has so liberally been surrounded. The mind once awakened would soon 

 free itself from lethargy, and the public-house would speedily lose its 

 charms. 



But to return. During the months of April, May, and June I kept a 

 large stock of tadpoles in my aquarium. These I had to replenish, or 

 rather renew almost weekly from a neighbouring pond. In these tadpole- 

 hunting expeditions I usually took with me a small wide-necked bottle 

 (capacity nearly half-a-pint) which I filled one-fifth or one-fourth full, or 

 more. These I emptied into the aquarium at about three times. My 

 live stock consisted, at this time, of three Newts (two specimens Triton 

 aquaticiis and one T. palustris), one Stickleback (Gasterosteus acnieatus), two 

 Bearded Loaches [Gohitus harhatiila), one larva of Lihellula or Dragon Fly, 

 two Xotonectidce, or boat flies ; a few water beetles [Dijthcus marginalis), and 

 the water Scorpion [Nepa cinerea). In addition to these, and of a more 

 harmless kind, being ]3hytophagi or plant feeders, I had a number of 

 Caddis worms (Phryganea,) and a number of moUusca — univalve and 

 bivalve — and others. 



Of the first-mentioned group it is not easy to decide which is the most 

 destructive to the young frog ; but I think other observers would bear me 

 out in saying that to the Lihellula belongs that honour. 



This insect belongs to the Isomorphous group, Nat. Order Neurop- 

 tera ; it is consequently active in all stages of its existence. The imago 

 deposits her eggs upon some aquatic plant, where they remain till hatched. 

 The larva, which differs from the imago principally by the rudimentary 

 state of its wings (represented by small lobes), is aquatic. It is fierce, 

 strong and, it may be added, cunning. Its respiratory apparatus is partly . 

 lodged in the end of the intestinal canal. Into this cavity water is drawn, 

 by the expulsion of which the animal moves forward in a series of jerks. 

 It does not often move, however, only occasionally changing its base of 

 operations. Here it rests with its caudal extremity exserted from the 

 water, thus being able to breathe without the necessity for moving. It 

 will rem^iin thus for hours waiting the approach of its prey, for it seldom 

 or never gives chase. Woe to the unwary animal that passes too near 

 this lurking foe. Its large prominent eyes never fail to see, or its viosr- 



