4*0 HISTORY OF 



worms, from whence they change into a more 

 perfect form, namely, that of aurelias, which is a 

 kind of middle state between a worm and a fly ; 

 and from thence they take their last mutation, 

 which is into a beautiful fly, of longer or shorter 

 duration, according to its kind. 



The ephemera, in its fly state, is a very beauti- 

 ful winged insect, and has a strong similitude to 

 the butterfly, both from its shape and its wings. 

 It is about the size of a middling butterfly ; but 

 its wings differ, in not being covered with the 

 painted dust with which those of butterflies are 

 adorned, and rendered opaque, for they are very 

 transparent and very thin. These insects have 

 four wings, the uppermost of which are much 

 the largest: when the insect is at rest, it gene- 

 rally lays its wings one over the other on the 

 back. The body is long, being formed of six 

 rings, that are larger at the origin than near 

 the extremity ; and from this a tail proceeds, 

 that is longer than all the rest of the fly, and 

 consists sometimes of three threads of an equal 

 length, or sometimes of two long and one short. 

 To acquire this beautiful form, the insect has 

 been obliged to undergo several transmutations j 

 but its glory is very short-lived, for the hour 

 of its perfection is the hour of its death, and 

 it seems scarcely introduced to pleasure, when 

 it is obliged to part with life. 



The reptile that is to become a fly, and that is 

 granted so long a term, when compared to its 

 latter duration, is an inhabitant of the water, and 

 bears a very strong resemblance to fishes in 



