THE DRAGON-FLY. 



767 



mouth are to be seen two teeth covered with 

 a beautiful li|> ; with iiiese the creatures bite 

 fiercely when they an; take:i : but their bite is 

 perfectly harmless, as I have experienced more 

 than once. 



These insects, beautiful as they are, are pro- 

 duced fro n eggs, which are deposited in the 

 water, where (hey remain for some time with- 

 out see ning life or motion. They are (jeered 

 by the female into the water in clusters, like a 

 bunc.i of grapes, where they sink to the hot- 

 to u by their natural weight, and continue in 

 that state till the young ones find strength 

 enough to break the shell, and to separate 

 from each other. The form in which they 

 first show life, is that of a worm with six legs, 

 bearing a strong resemblance to the dragon-fly 

 in its winged state, except that the wings are 

 yet concealed within a sheath peculiar to this 

 animal. The rudiments of these appear in 

 bunches on the back, within which the wings 

 are folded up into each other, while all the 

 colours and varieties of painting appear trans- 

 parent through the skin. These ani.nals, 

 upon quitting the egg, still continue in the 

 water, where they creep and swim, but do not 

 move swiftly. They have likewise a sharp 

 sight, and immediately sink to the bottom, if 

 any one comes to the places wherein they live, 

 or whenever they perceive the least uncom- 

 mon object. Their food at that time is soft 

 mud and the glutinous earthy substances that 

 arc found at the bottom. 



When these animals prepare to change from 

 their reptile to their flying state, they then 

 move out of the water to a dry place ; as into 

 grass ; to pieces of wood, stone, or any thing 

 else they meet with. They there firmly (ix 

 their acute claws ; and, for a short time, con- 

 tinue quite immoveahle, as if meditating <>u 

 the cha.ige thev are to undergo. It is then 

 observed, that the skin first opens on the head 

 an I back; anil out of this opening they ex- 

 hibit their real head and eyes, and at lengih 

 th ir six legs; whilst, in the mean time, the 

 hollow and empty skin, or slough of their lc;j.s, 

 re nains firmly fixed in its place. After this, 

 the enclosed cr-'ature creeps forward by de- 

 grees ; and by this means draws first its wings 



fa} Diirina; the pruh-stale of tins animal, it preys with 

 the mo-it <:iv;ic;i- frrorj'v on ;iil aqua'ir insects. It is, 

 likew ise, at this }x;riod, furnished with, an apparatus at the 



and then its body out of the skin ; and pro- 

 ceeding a little farther, sits at rest for some 

 time, as if immoveable. During this time, the 

 wings, which were moist and folded, begin by 

 degrees to expand themselves, and to make 

 smooth and even all those plaits which were 

 laid against each other, like a closed fan. 

 The body is likewise insensibly ext nded, 

 until all the limbs have obtained (heir proper 

 size and dimensions. All these surprising and 

 difficult operations are accomplished by the 

 force of the blood and the circulating i>umours. 

 The creature cannot at first make use of its 

 new wings, and therefore is forced to stay in 

 the same place until all its limbs are dried by 

 the circumambient air. It soon, however, 

 begins to enter upon a more noble life than it 

 had hitherto led in the bottom of the brook ; 

 and from creeping slowly and living acciden- 

 tally, it now wings the air, and makes 

 choice from amidst the variety of its provi- 

 sions." 



Indeed, no animal is more amply fitted for 

 motion, subsistence, and enjoyment. As it 

 haunts and seeks after its food flying in the 

 air, nature has provided it with two large 

 e\ es, which make almost the whole head, and 

 which resemble glittering mother-of-pearl. 

 It has also four expansive silver-coloured 

 wings, with which, as with oars, it can turn 

 itself with prodigious velocity ; and to assist 

 these, it is furnished with a very long body, 

 which, like a rudder, directs its motions. As 

 the wings are long, and the legs short, they 

 seldom walk, but are ever seen either resting 

 or flying. For this reason, they always choose 

 dry branches of trees or shrubs to remain on ; 

 and u hen they have refreshed themselves a 

 little, they renew their flight. Thus they are 

 seen adorning the summer with a profusion 

 of hf-auty, lightly traversing the air in a thou- 

 sand directions, and expanding the most beau- 

 tiful colours to the sun. The garden, the 

 forest, the hedges, and the rivulets, are ani- 

 ni.ited hv tluir sports; and there are few who 

 IMXV bren brought up in the country, v ho 

 have not ei!?|>i;>)ed a part of their childhood 

 in (he pnrsiiit. 



But while these beautiful flies appear to us 



end of the body, by which it can suck up and eject water 

 with considerable force. 



