100 OUT OF DOORS. 



Now let us turn a glance towards the little streamlet 

 caused by the drainage of the neighbouring fields, which 

 has been quietly wending through its rushy path by 

 our sides. Look steadily at every part of it, and the 

 water becomes as thickly peopled as the land and air. 

 On every side abundant living creatures are seen passing 

 through the waters, some slowly, others rapidly, while 

 many ascend from the bed of the stream, come for a 

 moment to the surface, and dive away out of sight. The 

 Water Boatman is very fond of that pursuit. A queer- 

 looking creature is he, as he lies on his back in the 

 water, his body shaped just like the hull of a ship, and 

 his two long legs extended like oars on each side, and 

 used after the same fashion. Catch him in the net, 

 and look at him nearer only take care of fingers ; for 

 although the boatman cannot bite, he has a strong and 

 sharp proboscis, and if carelessly held will startle his 

 captor by inflicting a rather painful wound. Under 

 his hard shelly wing-cases he has a beautiful pair of 

 large membranous wings ; and at nightfall he leaves the 

 water and takes to the air, mostly on some matrimonial 

 business. At dawn he returns to the water, letting 

 himself drop, with closed wings, from a great height. 

 Sometimes the poor boatman falls into a sad error, and, 

 mistaking glass for water, drops upon a greenhouse or 

 a skylight, and kills himself with the shock. 



In the more rapid and clearer parts of the stream, 

 the Fresh-Water Shrimp may be seen driving itself 

 through the familiar element by a series of jerks ; now 



