102 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 



C — It has indeed a very remarkable appearance. If 

 you will stay a few moments, I should like to take a hasty 

 sketch of it. 



P. — Do so : I have seen several other instances of up- 

 right shoots springing from a half-broken limb, but none 

 having so singular a look as this one. While you are draw- 

 ing, I will go and look at this little pool by the roadside. 



C. — I have finished, and am ready to proceed. 



F. — I have found in the pool a group of those merry 

 little creatures, the Whirlbeetles (Gyrinus Mneus, &c.) in 

 full play ; twisting and twirling in their mazy evolutions, 

 with as much skill, and as much apparent enjoyment, as a 

 band of full-grown ladies and gentlemen perform the myste- 

 ries of the quadrille in a ball-room. They whirl in and out 

 with surprising swiftness, and when a number are together, 

 it is wonderful how, in their giddy dance, they manage to 

 avoid coming in contact with each other, a thing which I 

 have never seen to happen, though I have very often watched 

 their merry play. They generally perform their evolutions 

 on the surface, but occasionally one glides through the water, 

 under the rest, and presently comes to the top again, as dry 

 as before. While under the surface, a bubble of air is al- 

 ways attached to them, which gleams like a little pearl. 

 The antennae are exceedingly short, being nothing more than 

 little knobs on the head, to the naked sight ; but the eyes of 

 this insect are the most remarkable part of its conformation, 

 and afford another out of the innumerable instances of pro- 

 spective wisdom in creation — an instance of adaptation of 

 an organ to its use, perhaps never surpassed. Most beetles 

 have two eyes ; but the Gyrinus has four, two on each side 

 of the head ; why is this remarkable exception to the general 

 rule ? The sphere of action of this beetle is the surface of 



