THE DRAWING OF THE SEINE. 179 



afforded by this similarity of tints, as shown by its 

 stealthy action when it creeps among the stems of water- 

 plants, or suddenly squats on the bare mud, if the cov- 

 eted prey approaches. 



Here, at all events, we have an aquatic insect that not 

 only possesses intelligence, but gives abundant evidence 

 of the fact. There is exhibited by it all the cunning in 

 hunting displayed by the most sagacious of mammals ; 

 and as it preys upon fishes of considerable size, seizing 

 them at the gills, as mammals strike for the throat of 

 their victims, one has but to place a spearmouth in an 

 aquarium to see from how terrible a foe our fishes are 

 called upon to escape, if happily they can. 



But there is a much smaller species of these spear- 

 raouths or Belostomse, which must not be overlooked. 

 They are hardy, non - hibernating insects, and, with 

 Nepae, are found all through the winter in the mud of 

 the ditches, or on it. Perhaps they have not as much 

 vivacity then as in midsummer, or need no food, but, 

 even as late as March, numbers of them, kept in an 

 aquarium, were very peaceful, and lazy too, at times. 

 Often they would lie flat upon their backs and, to all 

 appearances, were dead ; but any disturbance roused 

 them, and away they would walk or swim, as they felt 

 disposed. During the summer they doubtless cling to 

 grass or twigs: but having no such support in the aqua- 

 rium, they seemed to delight in riding about on the 

 backs of the larger fishes, but not annoying them in 

 any way ; and one sat for half an hour on the snout of 

 a small turtle, which seemed careful not to move so as 

 to disturb the bug; and yet it had but to open its 



