LIFE IN POND AND STREAM 11 



dwellers. Not very many live in salt water, 

 or in very great depths, but there are some 

 little beetles which live so low down on the 

 sea-shore that they are covered by the sea 

 every time the tide rolls in, and some strange 

 grubs that are perfectly at home in brine pits. 

 Some insects like the bustle and excitement 

 of running water, a few are even found in 

 mountain torrents and cascades ; but most of 

 these little creatures prefer still, or gently 

 rippling water ; and a quiet, rather shallow 

 pool, where reeds and rushes grow, and duck 

 weed spreads its soft green mantle over the 

 surface, is perhaps the best place of all to look 

 for these quaint and interesting little water 

 folk. 



Almost all the year round we may find 

 insect life in the ponds and streams. Even 

 in winter, on a warm sunny day, we may see 

 parties of gnats disporting themselves in 

 sheltered nooks by the side of the water, and 

 although most water insects sleep the cold 

 days away buried in the mud at the bottom 

 of the pond, if we look down into the water 

 we are almost sure to see some that are swim- 

 ming about or slowly moving over the water- 

 weeds. 



