298 THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



in safety. Having thus raised itself to the perpen- 

 dicular position, the gnat withdraws its two fore- 

 legs from the pupa case, and stretches them out ; 

 then it draws out its two next; and now feeling 

 safe, it quits the perpendicular position and bends 

 toward the water, plants its feet on its glistening 

 surface, which is to it as safe as the land, since it 

 has the faculty of walking on the waves. It is 

 now in perfect safety, its wings expand and 

 become dry, and presently the insect will for the 

 first time make use of them by flying to some 

 adjoining twig. 



But we need not in many cases leave our homes 

 to see an escape from the pupa in every respect 

 as singular as the last, and in many, precisely 

 identical. Before the writer's study- window was 

 an artificial fountain, in which, as the water was 

 not constantly allowed to play, aquatic insects of 

 various kinds had permission to establish them- 

 selves. Nor were they long in availing themselves 

 of this liberty. A week or two of genial summer 

 weather was sufficient to people the water with 

 various inhabitants ; among them was a little 

 creature which will be recognised by every reader 

 when we mention its title 6( the blood-worm." It 



