LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 231 



be contracted and expanded at pleasure, and 

 when the fly lifts its foot, it folds them up be- 

 tween the claws, and thus excludes the air, and 

 when it puts it down, it expands them, and as 

 there is no air within, the pressure upon them 

 from without keeps them in their places. Every 

 time the fly raises and puts down its foot it per- 

 forms this curious operation. 



JJnna. It must be very troublesome for it to 

 walk. 



*ftunt M. No, the motion is perfectly natu- 

 ral, and made with as little effort as we require 

 to raise a hand or a foot. 



But we must pay some attention to these little 

 Aphides, for they seem inclined to walk away 

 from us. What trim looking little creatures they 

 are ! Look at the light green color of their 

 bodies, and their delicate wings ; they are 

 tinged with green and violet, like those of the 

 fly. 



Harriet. So they are; but many of them 

 have no wings at all. Please hand me the mi- 

 croscope, Anna. L How beautiful the eyes are, 

 and the long antenna ! and there is the pro- 

 boscis too. 



