42 THE INSECT WORLD. 



becomes the mast of its own little boat, and a vertical mast also. 

 It is difficult to imagine how it is able to put itself in such a singular, 

 though for it necessary, position, and also how it can keep it. The 

 fore part of the boat is much more loaded than the other, but it is 

 also much broader. Any one who observes how deep the fore part 

 of the boat is, and how near the edges of its sides are to the water, 

 forgets for the time being that the gnat is an insect that he would 

 willingly destroy at other times. One feels uneasy for its fate ; and 

 the more so if the wind happens to rise, particularly if it disturbs 

 the surface of the water. But one sees with pleasure that there is 

 air enough to carry the gnat along quickly ; it is carried from side to 

 side ; it makes different voyages in the bucket in which it is borne. 

 Though it is only a sort of boat — or rather mast, because its wings 

 and legs are fixed close to its body, it is perhaps, in proportion to the 

 size of its boat, a larger sail than one would dare to put on a real 

 vessel — one cannot help fearing that the little boat will capsize. 

 * * * As soon as the boat is capsized, as soon as the gnat is laid on 

 the surface of the water, there is no chance left for it. I have some* 

 times seen the water covered with gnats which had perished thus as. 

 soon as they were born. It is, however, still more extraordinary that 

 the gnat is able to finish its operations. Happily they do not last 

 long ; all dangers may be passed over in a minute. 



*' The gnat, after raising itself perpendicularly, draws its two front 

 legs from the sheath, and brings them forward. It then draws out 

 the two next. It now no longer tries to maintain its uneasy position, 

 but leans towards the water ; gets near it, and places its feet upon it; 

 the water is sufficiently firm and solid support for them, and is able 

 to bear them, although burdened with the insect's body. As soon as 

 the insect is thus on the water it is in safety ; its wings are unfolded 

 and dried, which is done sooner than it takes to tell it, at length the 



gnat is in a position to use them, and 

 it is soon seen to fly away, particularly 

 if one tries to catch it " (Fig. 30). 



One more word about the gnat, 

 whose life is full of such interesting 

 details. 



Fig. 31.- Eggs of the Gnat, magnified. The reader will perhaps not feel 



much pleasure in learning that the 

 fecundity of these insects is extraordinary. Many generations are 

 born in a single year, each generation requiring only three weeks or 

 a month to arrive at a condition to bring forth a new generation. 

 Thus, the number of gnats which comes into existence in the cours<* 



