THE EPHEMERA. tgi 



told that fome of this kind feem limited to an hour. The rqjtile from 

 which they are bred is not fhort-lived ; but fometimes lives two years, 

 and many times three. 



Ephemeras, of which are various kinds, are produced from eggs, in the 

 fornn of worms j from whence they change to aurelias, a kind of middle 

 ftate between a* worm and a fly ; from whence they take their laft muta- 

 tion into a beautiful fly, of longer or {hotter duration, according to its 

 kind. 



The ephemera fly is a beautiful winged infcdl, of fl^rong fimilitude to 

 the butterfly, bovii in Ihape, wings, and fize; but its wings are not covered 

 with painted feathers, but are very tranfparent and thin ; has four wings j 

 the uppermotl much the largeft : when at reft, generally lays its wings 

 one over the other, on the back. The body is long j has fix rings, larger 

 at the origin than the extremity; from this proceeds a tail longer than all 

 the reft of the fly, confifting fometimes of three threads of equal length, 

 fometimes of two long and one Ihort. To acquire this beautiful form, 

 the inlVct has undergone feveral tranfmutations : but tht hourof its per- 

 f<r^ion is the hour of its death ; the reptile of this fly inhabits the water, 

 and refcmbles fiflies in many particulars ; having gills by which it 

 breathes at the bottom, and the tapering form of aquatic animals. Thefe 

 infeds have fix fcaly legs, fixed on their corfelet. Their head is trian- 

 gular : the eyes placed forA'ard, difl:inguiflied by their largenefs and co- 

 lour. The mouth has teeth ; the body confifts of fix rings j that next the 

 corfelet largefl:, growing lefs and lefs to the end ; the laft ring is the 

 Ihorteft, from which the three threads proceed, which are as long as the 

 whole body. Thus the reptile refembles the fly ; and only requires 

 wings to be near perfection. - 



There are feveral kinds of tnis animal, and their aurelias are of diffe- 

 rent colours ; yellow, brown, or cream-coloured. Some bore themfelves 

 cells at the bottom of the water, from which they never ftir out, but feed 

 on the mud compofing the walls of their habitation ; others range about in 

 the water, or quit that element to feed on plants by the river fide, and 

 then return to it for fafety and proteftion. 



The reptile, though it lives long, offers little to excite curiofity ; hid 

 at the bottom of the water, it feeds almoft wholly within its narrow habita- 

 tion. Into its fly ftate it crowds its moft various tranQdlions.The fign where- 

 by to know that thefe reptiles will change into flies fliurtly, is a protuberance 

 ot wings on the back j fo that the wings are in fome degree vifible through 



their 

 6 



