THE EPHEMERID^E. 51 



The cinnamon fly, of which there are several 

 varieties, comes on the water in August. It 

 much resembles the sand fly of April. 



The family Ephemeridce comprises a tribe of 

 insects very different in their appearance and 

 habits from the phryganidce already described. 

 Their antenna^ or feelers, are very small, and 

 their wings which, in the smaller species, are 

 very delicate and nearly transparent stand 

 erect on their backs, like those of the butterfly. 

 They have two pairs of wings, the hindermost of 

 which is very much smaller than the anterior pair. 

 Their bodies are soft, small, and elongated, and 

 from their extremity proceed two (in a few species 

 three) long hair-like filaments, called Setce, or, in 

 less scientific language, tails 9 or whisks. The 

 ephemerida?, in their perfect state, are the most 

 short lived of insects hence their name. Their 

 longest life extends but to a few hours ; some 

 species to only a few minutes. In the boxes of 

 naturalists, however, they have been kept alive for 

 more than ten days, but, as Mr. West wood re- 

 marks, " there can be no doubt that had these 

 individuals been at large and capable of pursuing 

 their natural habits, their existence would have 

 been as short as that of their companions." 



The female lays her eggs on the surface of the 

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