WATER-STRIDERS 



the edges or standing atop the craft, are making a 

 hearty meal. Meanwhile the raft has drifted within 

 the sweep of the next riffle. The first wavelets are 

 entered. The boat rocks — and in a moment is over- 

 swept by the current; the bow is sucked under, and 

 all the banqueting passengers are thrown into the 

 stream. 



Oars all, now! It is hard pulling; but our wee water- 

 men are sturdy oarsmen, and at last all have rowed up 

 the rapid into quiet water, while their bark lies bottom 

 up upon a rock. Thus these tiny creatures, too, have 

 their "moving accidents by flood." It was a pretty 

 study and enjoyable, since no lives nor limbs were 

 endangered. And we know now that human folk and 

 water-striders both like meat croquettes! 



At night, in the cool days of early spring, at least, 

 our insects seek the edges of their native stream or 

 pond, and, sheltered within clumps of grass or water- 

 plants, clinging to the stalks thereof, they rest until 

 morning. In such positions, or even while standing 

 amid-stream, they often may be seen brushing them- 

 selves, as is the habit of insects. The short first legs 

 seem to be used most frequently for this function. In 

 May the female glues her eggs to the stems of bor- 

 dering grasses, and seventeen days thereafter they 

 are hatched, and the young insects enter upon their 

 career along with their partly grown and adult con- 

 geners. 



When winter sets in the survivors of the season 

 burrow into the mud, or under bunches of dead leaves 

 and withered grass-stalks or stones or other rubbish, 

 and there lie dormant or semi-dormant until spring 

 again calls them to active life. On the whole, that life 



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