11 
body from all excrements, in that element where it leaves its old 
robes to appear in a more glorious and new form in the open air.” 
And he continues by supposing “‘ that cleansing themselves they 
are sooner able to escape from their case, which they are not longer 
than half-a-day in quitting.”’* 
In the Philosophical Transactions for 1749, the following very 
interesting account of the habits and mode of escape from their case 
of a species of Libellula found in Pennsylvania, is given by Peter 
Collinson, Esq., F.R.S. &c.:—he states, that ‘‘ about the beginning 
of May, they creep out of the water and fix themselves on the 
shrubs and rushes. In this situation they continue but a few 
hours, before their back splits open, and from this deformed case 
creeps out a beautiful fly with shining, transparent wings. At its 
first appearance, there is only what one may call the rudiments of 
wings; but it is a most entertaining sight to observe how they shoot 
out and expand themselves, thus in less than an hour, they have 
attained their complete dimensions. During all this operation, the 
creatures are immoveable, and so continue till their wings are dry, 
and then they fly swiftly away, roving about the sides of ponds and 
rivers seeking their food. Being insects of prey they are very 
voracious, and, like the hawks among birds, are very swift of flight 
and nimbly secure their prey, which is mostly flies and small green 
grasshoppers. In cloudy weather they are rarely to be seen.”— 
Phil. Trans., vol. 47, p. 4. 
This account is confirmed by Mr. Bartram, who observes that 
the Libellulz of America, have no remarkable difference from 
ours; and further adds, ‘‘ that they live all the year a water 
insect,’—that “ their bodies being filled with an oily matter, they 
easily quit their husks ;” and mentions that “ the second day after 
leaving their aquatic abode they cast another skin, after which their 
tails are longer, and their wings drier and more transparent.’’— 
Phil. Trans., 1750, vol. 47, p. 28. 
The Nympus on issuing from the water, climb up the stems of 
plants, and splitting open their cases over the thorax the perfect 
insects work themselves out by degrees; at first they are quite 
limp and moist, but gradually their wings expand and harden, and 
taking flight, they appear to revel in their novel existence, and 
proud of their sylph-like wings, fly up and down streams, or 
hover over ponds, driving away all trespassers; occasionally resting 
on posts or plants and feeding on the unfortunate butterflies or 
other insects which may have been unlucky enough to fall victims 
to the voracity of Les Demoiselles. 
Their power of flight is very great; they may often be seen an 
immense height in the air, and can fly in all directions, turning 
about with great rapidity; and an instance is recorded of a speci- 
men of Atshna having been captured more than six hundred miles 
out at sea, in a direct line from land.t 
* Phil. Trans., vol. 22, p. 519. 
+ Mr. Newport’s Address to Ent. Soc., 10th Feb, 1845, p. 12. 
