288 



COMMON EPHEMERA. 



ORDER IV. NEUROPTEROUS INSECTS. 



12. DRAGON-FLY TRIBE. 



The bodies of the Dragon-flies are long and slender. 

 Both in the larva and perfect state, their voracity is greater 

 than that of any other insects of their size. 



Great Dragon-fly. This is an extremely large and 

 powerful insect, which, during the summer months, is 

 frequently to be observed flying about in the lanes and 

 roads, in pursuit of insects and other prey. The females 

 drop their eggs into the water. These sink to the bot- 

 tom, and not long afterwards are hatched. The larvae, 

 or grubs, which proceed from them, are so rapacious, 

 that they have been called, by some writers, the Croco- 

 diles of aquatic insects. When they are about to change 

 to a winged state, they crawl out of the water ; the skin 

 of their back, after a little while, splits open, and a perfect j 

 fly issues forth from what was before a deformed andj 

 dingy reptile. 



13. EPHEMERA TRIBE. 



The name of Ephemera has been given to these insects, 

 on account of the shortness of their lives. Some of the 

 species live but for a day, and others, it is said, only for| 

 a few hours. 



Common Ephemera or May Fly. It is stated that! 

 each of the females of this species lay as many as six 01 

 eight hundred eggs. These are dropped into the water, 



