352 THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



not often exceed two, these being made up, it will 

 not be forgotten, by multitudes of single eyes. 

 But in a few, whose habits require that they 

 should be endowed with extraordinary means of 

 vision, there are as many as four. If the reader 

 would betake him to the brook- side, and creep 

 noiselessly along its margin some summer after- 

 noon, until he comes to a quiet glassy pool where 

 the water seems to have forgotten itself and fallen 

 asleep, so still, so silent, and so smooth does it lie, 

 reflecting all the lustre of the deep-blue sky over- 

 head, he will surprise a dancing party of insects 

 busy waltzing at a wonderful rate, now skimming 

 hither, now shooting across the glassy pavement 

 on which they sport, now joining together and 

 wheeling round and round, and again, as the king- 

 fisher comes fluttering down the river as though 

 on some errand of immense importance, breaking 

 up their party and flying into a thousand holes 

 and corners to wait until all is quiet. Let him 

 exercise his activity and patience, and catch one 

 of these giddy insects, which are known to ento- 

 mologists by the name of the Gyrinus Natator, 

 and he will have a good example of an insect 

 provided with four compound eyes, so that it can 



