THE DRAGON-FLY. 7 



insect, being not at the end of the tail as in others, 

 but immediately under the breast, and consequent- 

 ly, at first view, incapable of being united to the 

 sexual part of the female, which, as in other in- 

 sects, lies in the tail. To perform this junction, 

 nature has provided the male with a very peculiar 

 manner of proceeding. As soon as he perceives 

 the female, and finds himself sufficiently near, he 

 seizes upon the back of her head by surprise, and 

 fastening his claws upon her, turns round his forky 

 tail, which he fastens round her neck ; and in this 

 manner fixes himself so closely and firmly, that no 

 efforts can remove him. It is in vain that she flies 

 from one branch to another and settles upon them, 

 he still keeps fixed, and often continues in this 

 situation for three or four hours successively. 

 When he flies, she is obliged to fly with him ; but 

 he still directs the way, and though she moves 

 her wings, she seems entirely guided by his mo- 

 tions. As yet, however, the business of impreg- 

 nation is not performed, for to this the female 

 must contribute ; and she at last seems, by the 

 continuance of her constraint, to comply : for, 

 turning up the end of her tail to that part of the 

 breast of the male in which lies the part proper for 

 generation, both instruments meet, and the eggs 

 of the female receive the necessary fecundation. 

 An hour or two after this she flies to some neigh- 

 bouring pool, where she deposits her eggs, as was 

 already mentioned. There they continue in a 

 reptile state for a year, and then are changed 

 into a beautiful fly, resembling the parent. 



