6 THE AQUARIUM, OCTOBER, 1892. 
THE CADDIS OR CASE-FLY. 
(Phryganea.) 
Although the larvae of the caddis 
flies (the caddis worms) are very de- 
structive to aquarium plants, which 
they attack at the tender tops to obtain 
building material for the enlargement 
of their houses, they are also very 
amusing, if kept in a jar with aquatic 
plants by themselves. We see them 
busy at the bottom, adding fragments 
of plants, pebbles, minute shells, even 
if the snails within them are alive and 
any small debris that their fingers can 
seize hold of. Last season the writer 
had amongst a large number of cads, 
one that had his case nearly destroyed 
by accidentally falling from the table. 
I removed from him what remained of 
his case, and threw him into a jar with 
a water soldier (Stratioides aloides) and 
a few snails(Lymnea). He set to work 
to repair his tabernacle, and _ the 
snails helped him, for they nib- 
bled a leaf of the Stratioides into 
shreds. ‘These shreds the cad gathered 
and every day he added a fresh piece, so 
that, in about ten days he appeared in 
a suit of green, his clothes bulged out. 
to an enormous size, and everywhere 
studded with points and corners, the 
most comical sight that could be imag- 
ined. Since he could find nothing of a 
small neat pattern, he took what he 
could, and became a perfect Jack in the 
green, nearly ar inch and a half in 
length, and thicker than a carpenter’s. 
lead pencil. 
The movements of these creatures. 
are as comical as their specimens of 
tailoring. We see them mounting a. 
stem or leaf with great gravity, when 
suddenly up goes the tail, the legs hold 
tight, and the case turns completely 
over, as if on the first of May Jack-in- 
the-green were to dance on his head. 
When the creature is hidden, and the 
case sways to and fro like a buoy attach- 
ed by too short a rope, the sight is very 
curious. 
The perfect insect bears resemblances. 
to the two families which stand on 
either side of it—the Lepidoptera or 
true butterflies, and the Neuroptera, 
of which the dragon flies and other 
membranaceous winged insects are 
members. As soon as he enters the 
world, he begins to show his skill in tail- 
oring, and by means of silken threads. 
and gluten constructs his case of bits of 
stick, straw, pieces of leaves, or shells, 
in fact, whatever he can get, and as. 
long as he retains the worm like form. 
the case is his castle, and he can defy 
the world, The case outside is gener- 
ally a rough affair, but if you draw out. 
the cad you will see that inside it is. 
perfectly cylindrical, smooth, and 
polished, and around the doorway,. 
through which the larvae makes ac- 
quaintance with the world, it is neatly 
finished with a very circular rim. 
