HALF WINGS. 75 



Are of two distinctest textures, 

 Tough and leathery next the body, 

 Thin and quite transparent outwards, 

 And there always folded crosswise ; 

 All their feet are but twojoiuted ; 

 All their legs are formed for crawling, 

 Not for leaping nor for swimming ; 

 And their tail is two long bristles. 

 Water Scorpions I call them. 

 Water Scorpions, or Nepina. 



Next to these the Water Boatmen 

 Follow in the proper order : 

 Their antennae are quite hidden ; 

 Their fore wings are of two textures. 

 And are always folded crosswise. 

 Just exactly as in Bugtlies ; 

 And their fore legs formed for grasping, 

 All the rest are formed for swimming ; 

 And their feet are but twojointed. 

 Let us watch them in the water, 

 In the bright, transparent water, 

 On their backs for ever swimmmg ; 

 Always looking wrong way upwards : 

 Yet their movements all are graceful. 

 T call them Notonectina. 



In the country that we live in 

 Skies are very often cloudy, 

 And the au' is damp and chilly ; 



