POND LIFE. 



89 



every pupil can be a scientific observer if he has eyes 

 and will use them properly. 



INSECTS THAT FLY OVER PONDS. 



The Dragon-flies, or Darning-needles, and 

 THE Damsel-flies {Field Work). — It is a field day, 

 and we find ourselves near our favorite pond, drawn 

 here by a charm we do not care to resist. We are 

 seated on a convenient log on the bank. Below us 

 lies the water without a ripple on its surface, and 

 whether we look up or look down we see the same 

 beautiful foliage of the graceful trees that line the 

 shores. Fringing the bank beyond is a bed of lilies, 

 whose shields float on the surface, and at our feet 

 great arrowlike leaves point upward. Not a breath 

 stirs a branch, and so still is it that it seems as if no 

 living thing were here except the invisible, silent 

 stream of life within twig and leaf. Suddenly there 

 shoots over the pond that swiftest of winged crea- 

 tures, a dragon-fly. So rapid is its flight that we 

 can hardly follow it with our sight. Back and forth 

 it goes, when, discovering strangers, it darts in front 

 of us and suddenly stops in midair. Here it hangs 

 for a moment motionless, except for its rapidly 

 vibrating wings, and then as suddenly darts away. 



What a pity that children should be taught to 

 fear this beautiful, harmless creature by the silly 

 legend that it will sew up their eyes and ears ! 



The habits of dragon-flies are such that they can 

 be studied only in the field ; the roomiest of breed- 

 ing cages would offer slight scope for the powers of 

 these insects. We must therefore watch them while 

 free if we would learn what they do. 



