FLIES AND THEIR WATER BABIES 63 



limit, for if the water rises to six inches the 

 little roly-poly larva is forced to float up from 

 the bottom or crawl up the side of the pool, 

 but at all costs it continues to keep the end 

 of its tail in the air ! 



Resting on the alder-trees on the banks of 

 ponds and slowly moving streams we may 

 often see quantities of 

 little Alder-flies. They 

 are dark-coloured flies, 

 with four long brown- t **mK 



ish wings and humped 

 backs, and in some 

 parts of the country 

 people call them 

 "Hump-backed flies." 

 In spite of their strong 

 wings the Alder-flies are very poor fliers, and 

 if you try to catch them will often run away 

 instead of taking wing. 



The Mother Alder-fly puts her tiny stone- 

 coloured eggs in little clusters on the grass and 

 rushes, or sometimes on stones near the water's 

 edge, and directly the larvas are hatched they 

 wriggle their way down to the water. Mother 

 Alder-fly is not always as thoughtful as she 

 should be, and sometimes carelessly puts her 



THE ALDER FLY. 



