HEPWORTH ON THE FROG AND TOAD. 343 



and with its truly formidable mandibles makes an incision at the tail-root, 

 and slowly, but surely, scoops out the viscera, in spite of the struggles of 

 its victim, which evidently does not approve this method of being ushered 

 into the " hind of the hereafter." The tadpole is liable to these attacks 

 even after acquiring the adult form before leaving the water. 



The larva of this insect is even more destructive than the imago; 

 I have seen it do battle with all comers ; and more than once I have seen 

 the pugnacious little stickleback succumb to his superior prowess. So 

 great were the powers, and so freely and persistently were they exerted, 

 that in order to prevent my aquarium frofti becoming a watery desert, I 

 deemed it necessary to consign him to the liquor j^otasscB and prepare 

 him for the microscope. 



I know no creature that presents a more "horrid front" to the 

 beholder than this larva. See him suspended, as it were, from the surface 

 of the water by his two-pronged tail — his body gracefully curved — his feet 

 extended — his little eye glaring fiercely — and his immense jaws thrown 

 widely back. His whole demeanour betrays the bloodthirsty warrior. He 

 is always armed and ready for the conflict. Once having caught hold of 

 his prey he is not easily shook off. I remember on one occasion when he 

 had caught a stickleback of medium size, having fixed his jaws in, just 

 behind the gills, 1 lifted the fish out of the water by the tail, and held it 

 suspended some time, the little water tiger maintaining his hold for some 

 minutes, but the changed element not suiting his constitution he let 

 go and dropped back into the aquarium. The imago attacked and 

 destroyed worms put in for the newts. I kept four for more than six 

 months and fed them weekly on raw butcher's meat. Cooked meat they 

 passed by with contempt. They did not even relish raw meat so well as 

 worms or tadpoles secured by their own valour. 



The boatfly may fairly be ranked next. It is very destructive to the 

 tadpoles as also to other insects — larva and imago. It is a beautiful 

 object for the aquarium. The large oar-like posterior pair of legs — large 

 prominent coloured eyes and close pressed wings command the attention 

 of those even who feel no interest in natural history pursuits ; while the 

 boat-shaped body, peculiar mode of sailing on the back, and general struc- 

 ture, give it a claim to the attention of thQ-scientific naturalist. 



Several parts of this insect form beautiful objects for the microscope. 

 The wings are very pretty and distinctive. The legs mounted upon a 

 slide beautifully illustrate the change which these organs undergo in 



