44 UP AND DOWN THE BROOKS. 



families are much the same size, and to an un- 

 practised eye are similar in appearance to each 

 other. Of course, the bug-hunters, who know the 

 two families, can distinguish them at once. 



It is that way often in the insect world. The 

 hunter after " bugs " sees at first the likenesses 

 but not the differences. But when, as the reward 

 of long and close looking, the latter become plain, 

 the hunter wonders at not having seen them be- 

 fore. There is nothing like looking to sharpen 

 the eyes, and the earlier one goes about it the 

 more one will see. 



Here come some more pond-snails from their 

 watery homes. Let them swim while they may, 

 for when these pools shall shortly dry up in the 

 summer-time heat, then will the patient pond- 

 snails, unable to take up their shells and fly away, 

 do the next best thing, and, with becoming forti- 

 tude, burrow into the damp ground, hoping thereby 

 to preserve their lives until water shall come again. 

 Alas, rain will be months away. 



Here, likewise, come up in the dredger some 

 dark, perhaps two-inches-long leeches. There are 

 plenty of them often in the mud at the sides of 

 the stream. One can find numbers of leeches in 

 autumn by taking a shovelful of mud from the 

 pool's edge. Still, leeches are not delightful 

 pets, and these may slip back in the pool. 



Let us go home, for dredging is sometimes 

 wearisome work on account of the strength it re 



