2 3 2 MINUTE MARVELS OF NATURE 



cates its food. If, after capturing a dragon-fly on 

 the wing, its mouth is opened and examined with 

 a pocket lens, it is most frequently found to con- 

 tain a mass of small insects, and sometimes half- 

 chewed parts of larger insects. On recently 



Fig. 155. The face of a dragon-fly. 

 Considerably magnified 



capturing a dragon-fly and butterfly in the net at 

 the same time possibly the former was chasing 

 the latter I observed that the butterfly had a 

 large piece cut abruptly out from both wings, 

 which were closed together. Immediately after- 

 wards I saw the missing portion rapidly disappear- 

 ing into the mouth of the dragon-fly. The face 



