2-26 THE WOODLANDS. 



less and stupefied with cold, their wings covered with 

 dew, and lying closed on their backs. As the day 

 advances they become reanimated, and at every step 

 through the grass multitudes of these flies rise, drag- 

 ging their long legs after them. The females not un- 

 frequently lay as many as three hundred eggs. The 

 grubs often become as much as an inch in length, 

 and as thick as a small goose-quill, of a dirty earth- 

 colour. It was the opinion of Reaumur that they 

 fed upon earth, but they really feed upon the roots of 

 soft herbaceous plants, frequently causing consider- 

 able mischief in gardens. There are many species of 

 these flies, but one of the most common is Tipula 

 deracea. 



There are also other Dipterous flies which feed 

 very largely upon decaying fungi, and these are 

 classed together under a name which means " fungi- 

 lovers." They do not possess any particular features 

 which would be easily recognized by the unscientific, 

 nevertheless they are very numerous in woodland dis- 

 tricts, where the fungi which furnish them with their 

 natural food abound. The larvae of one of these 

 flies live in society, and move in files in a soldierlike 

 manner. First goes one, next follow two, then three, 

 &c., so as to present a singular appearance. In 

 Germany it is said that the people regard these grubs 

 with dread, because they consider them ominous of 

 war. 



A plague of flies means much more in warmer 

 climates than in our own. So numerous are they in 

 the East that a custom is said to prevail of passing 

 wine and other liquors through a strainer, so that no 



