THE EPHEMERA. 41 



many particulars ; having gills by which it 

 breathes at the bottom, and also the tapering 

 form of aquatic animals. These insects have six 

 scaly legs fixed on their corslet. Their head is 

 triangular ; the eyes are placed forward, and may 

 be distinguished by their largeness and colour. 

 The mouth is furnished with teeth ; and the 

 body consists of six rings, that next the corslet 

 being largest, but growing less and less to the 

 end ; the last ring is the shortest, from which the 

 three threads proceed, which are as long as the 

 whole body. Thus we see that the reptile bears 

 a very strong resemblance to the fly, and only 

 requires wings to be very near its perfection. 



As there are several kinds of this animal, their 

 aurelias are consequently of different colours; 

 some yellow, some brown, and some cream-co- 

 loured. Some of these also bore themselves cells 

 at the bottom of the water, from which they ne- 

 ver stir out, but feed upon the mud composing 

 the walls of their habitation, in contented capti- 

 vity; others, on the contrary, range about, go 

 from the bottom to the surface, swim between 

 two waters, quit that element entirely to feed 

 upon plants by the river side, and then return to 

 their favourite element for safety and protection. 



The reptile, however, though it lives two or 

 three years, offers but little, in its long duration, 

 to excite curiosity ; it is hid at the bottom of the 

 water, and feeds almost wholly within its narrow 

 habitation. The most striking facts command 

 our attention during the short interval of its fly 

 state, into which it crowds the most various 



