67 



balls faH to the ground with their leaves ; yet the in* 

 sect enclosed in them is fenced against the winter 

 frosts, partly by other leaves lying upon them, and 

 partly by the thick spungy wail afforded by the galls 

 themselves. 



13. There are few insects more prolific than the 

 Gnat. All i:s changes from the egg; to the perfect 

 animal are fulfilled in three weeks or a month : and 

 there are usually seven generations of them in a year, 

 in each of which the parent lays two or three hundred 

 eggs. These she ranges in the form of a boat) and 

 each egg is shaped like a nine- pin t the thicker end of 

 these are placed downward; they are {irmly joined to. 

 gethor by their middles, and the narrower parts stand 

 upward, 



Viewed with a microscope, the larger end is obserr. 

 ed to be terminated by a short neck, the end of which 

 is bordered by a kind of ridge : the neck of each U 

 sunk in the* water, on which the boat swims ; for it is 

 necessary they should keep on the surface, since other- 

 wise the eggs could nevtr be hatched. 



The ranging these in so exact order, requires the 

 utmost care in the parent. Gnats lay their eggs in the 

 morning hours, and that on such waters as will give 

 support to their young. Here the parent places herself 

 on a small stick, a loaf, or any such matter, near the 

 water-edge, in such a, manner, that the last ring but 

 one of her body touches t.le surface of the water. The 

 Jast ring of all, where there is the passage for the eggs, 

 is turned upward, and every egg is thrust out vertical- 

 Jy. When it is almost disengaged, she applies it to 

 the sides of the cluster already formed, to whicji it 

 readily adheres by means of a viscous matter wherewith 

 they are covered. 



The great difficulty is (o place the first laid eggs in a 

 proper position to receive the rest, and to sustain 

 themselves and them in a proper direction : these sho 

 with great precaution places exactly, by means of her 

 hinder iegs^ and when a sufficient number of them are* 



