LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 135 



EVENING TWELFTH. 



MUSQUETO. 



Aunt M. The musqueto, although born in 

 the water, passes through all those wonderful 

 changes which are common to insects ; and al- 

 though its life, after it has acquired wings, lasts 

 but a few weeks, the same care is taken to pre- 

 serve its existence, and the same skill displayed 

 in its formation, as we see in that of larger and 

 longer lived animals. 



The mother lays her eggs on the surface of 

 the water in stagnant pools, ditches and marshes, 

 not dropping them in one by one, in which case 

 (being heavy enough to sink,) they must fall 

 to the bottom and be lost ; but fastening them 

 firmly together with gluten, she forms them into 

 a complete boat, beginning at the stern and go- 

 ing on regularly until her work is finished. She 



