1782, NORFOLK. 311 



me, that they have this year feen repeated 122. 



flights fly over their heads as they lay at a dif- TENTHREDO 



tance from the ihore ; that they have alfo feen THETURNEF 



them upon the fea, as well as upo/i the beach 



waflied up by the tide : and further, that they 



have feen thofe which the tide had left, begin, 



on the fun's fhining upon them, to crawl ; and, 



having recovered themfelves, afterwards take 



wing and fly away : and, moreover, feem to be 



of opinion that they fometimes light upon the 



water to left themfelves, and then renew their 



flight. 



This appearing to me improbable, I have 

 tried the following experiments. I took one of 

 the flies, and placed it gently on a bafon of wa- 

 ter. It lay upon it, with its legs regularly 

 ftretched out, as if lifelefs. Having remained 

 in this pofture fome time, I agitated the water 

 in the bafon : this roufed it : and, having got its 

 wings fomewhat wetted, it raifed its tail, and 

 when the water had fubfided, very deliberately 

 dried them with its hind legs ; which having 

 done, and having otherwife properly adjufted it* 

 felf, it with the utmoft eafe took wing, and flew 

 to the edge of the bafon. This experiment I 

 repeated with the fame refult^ 



I then took another between my fingers, in 



fuch a manner as not to injure, it, and plunged 



X it 



