14 INSECT LIFE IN POND AND STREAM 



Although he is so agile when at home in 

 the pool, the Whirligig beetle is a clumsy little 

 fellow on dry ground. If you take him out 

 of the water he flops about and shuffles along 

 in a most ungainly way. His legs are formed 

 for swimming, not for taking walking exercise. 

 The two hind pair of legs are perfect little 

 paddles broad and flat and fringed with 

 long stiff hairs ; these the little beetle uses 

 when paddling his way through the water. 

 The front pair of legs are much longer, but 

 not so broad, and have many tiny suckers at 

 the tips ; with these the Whirligig clings 

 tightly to the water weeds when he is tired of 

 whirling and dashing about, and feels inclined 

 for a little rest. 



His eyes are most surprising; you would 

 think at first sight that the queer little fellow 

 had jour eyes. For each eye is divided into 

 two parts, by a kind of partition, one looking 

 upwards and one looking down ; so he is able 

 to keep a sharp look-out above and below at 

 the same time. If a hungry fish rises to 

 snap at the little Whirligig he shoots rapidly 

 away or spins round and round to confuse 

 his enemy ; and if danger threatens him from 

 above, down he dives to the bottom of the 



