118 



MY LIFE AS A NATURALIST 



puncture their prey, and introduce into the wound thus made a 

 poisonous saliva, which serves the purpose of either paralysing, 

 or killing, its victim outright. Even a fair-sized Minnow may 

 thus be despatched, and, when the Frog, Newt, and Toad tad- 

 poles are abundant in Spring, many suffer from the depredations 

 of this water creature. 



FIG. 55. DRAGON FLY EMERGING. 



I have only space at disposal to mention one other insect I 

 have watched, and it happens to be the most alluring of all. I 

 refer to the dandy Dragon Fly. The handsome form and amazing 

 aeroplaning of the adult is known to many people. I have actu- 

 ally seen it " loop the loop," to use an aeronautical term, an 

 evolution in the air which is perfectly wonderful, but it is the 

 Dragon Fly's emergence from an ugly larva to maze-winged imago 

 which is such an entrancing story. It is a parable by itself, and as 

 such may well serve as a benediction to this chapter. As it was 

 one of the first insects which came under my observation when I 

 want a-fishing, so shall it be the last under review in this section. 



