SKATING IN JULY 115 



est eye can discover it. Its body is a mere thread, 

 scarce half an inch in length, and its six legs are 

 like stiff hairs, sharply bent at the knees. 



Water-striders spend the winter under the banks 

 or at the bottom of the pool. Their skating days 

 are over until the warm weather comes again. 

 The young ones hatch from eggs left on water 

 plants, and live upon whatever they can catch. 

 Left to shift for themselves, many of these tiny fel- 

 lows fall a prey to various insect ogres. Fortu- 

 nately there are always enough left to keep the 

 family tree increasing, and when we visit the 

 streams again next summer we may enjoy them 

 and their shadows once more. 



