BRITISH BLOODSUCKERS 



239 



do they wriggle ; you try to put your hand on 

 them, and they slip through your fingers ; you 

 have caught one 

 now, and, hi 

 presto ! before 

 you know it, he 

 is twirling off to 

 the other side 

 and disporting 

 himself gaily in 

 aquatic gambols. 

 Nevertheless, 

 he is a crea- 

 ture well worth 

 observing, this 

 larva. Get 



him still under 

 the microscope 

 (which is no 

 easy matter 

 to insure it, you 

 must supply him 

 with only the 

 tiniest possible 

 drop of water) 

 and you will then 

 perceive that he 

 has a .distinct 

 head, with two 

 large dark eyes, 



and that behind it comes a globular body, and then 

 a tail of several quickly-moving segments. No. 4 



NO. 4. THE MOSQUITO -LARVA IN HIS 

 FAVOURITE ACT OF STANDING ON HIS 

 HEAD AND BREATHING. 



