EATING INSECTS. 159 



Like the swallow and the bat, also, the dragon-flies 

 always catch their prey on the wing, but, like the fly- 

 catcher and the butcher-birds (Laniidce, VIGORS), 

 they always return to their resting-place, to devour it 

 at leisure/ While the Rev. R. Sheppard was sitting 

 by the side of a pond, to observe a large dragon-fly 

 as it was hawking backwards and forwards in search 

 of prey, aeabbage butterfly (Pontia Brassica) sud- 

 denly flew past. The dragon-fly instantly . attacked 

 and caught it in theair, then settled on a twig, close 

 at hand, to eat it at leisure. It bit off the wings, and 

 then, in less than a minute, devoured the body*. 

 " I have been much amused," says Kirby, " by ob- 

 serving the proceedings of a species, not uncommon 

 here. It keeps wheeling round and round, and 

 backwards and forwards, over a considerable portion 

 of the pool it frequents. If one of the species comes 

 in its way, a battle ensues; if other species of the 

 family presume to v approach, it drives them away, and 

 it is continually engaged in catching water-flies 

 (Phryganece), and other insects, that fly over the 

 water, pulling off their wings with great adroitness, 

 and devouring in an instant the contents of the 

 bodyt." ' 



It is not a little remarkable that this voracious and 

 blood-thirsty family are very conspicuous for gay and 

 even gaudy colouring, from which the French have 

 been led to give them the inappropriate name of 

 damsels (Demoiselles), and the systematic writers such 

 appellations as pretty- wing (Calepteryx), girl (Pael- 

 la) t bride (Sponsa), and virgin (Firgo). Kirby very 

 correctly talks of their " dress" as kt silky, brilliant, 

 and variegated, and trimmed with the finest lace ;" 

 and Mouffet, with no less truth, says, they " set 

 forth Nature's elegancy beyond the expression of 



* Bingley, Anitn. Biogr. iv. 117. 

 t Intr. i. 276. 



