40 CURIOSITIES OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



and nympha is that the latter has sheaths for the wings, 

 which are rolled or crumpled up inside them. The banks of 

 rivers may often be seen to be completely riddled by these 

 larva?, which tunnel for themselves tubular galleries in the 

 mud to the depth of four or five -inches. The larvae of some 

 other members of the Ephemeridas, instead of living under the 

 sand, or in tubular galleries, swim from place to place, as in 

 the genus Cloe, while others crawl on the ground and on 

 aquatic plants. In throwing off their swaddling-clothes the 

 Ephemeras emerge through a split in the back. They often 

 draw out the anterior part of the body first, and sometimes 

 the tail part, or abdomen, appears first. Sometimes, instead 

 of leaving their swaddling-clothes in the water, they deposit 

 them on a blade of grass, or some water-weed. Being heavy 

 fliers in their sub-imago state for their wings are scarcely 

 dry, and their muscles unequal as yet to any great exertion 

 they are constantly dropping for a second or two on the water, 

 and are then sucked down the throat of some fish. 



The Kev. W. Houghton thus describes the further meta- 

 morphosis : "Let us now follow the green-drake to the spot 

 where he has rested. Here he will remain for the space of 

 two or three hours, perhaps, and then will be introduced to 

 the world of life as an adult and perfect insect. Look at this 

 blade of grass. What is the shadowy form that clings to it? 

 It is a delicate membrane, thin and light as possible, which 

 the slightest breath will blow away. Notice the split across 

 the back, through which the former tenant left his abode. It 

 is the cast-on skin of the green-drake, now metamorphosed 

 into a creature more active than Harlequin or Columbine 

 the male into a dark-brown insect, with clear and gauze- 

 like wings, the female into a beautiful creature, with body 

 marbled white and brown. How different now is the mode 

 of flight ! But, alas, ' out of the frying-pan into the fire/ 

 The flies are partly safe from Scylla, but they fall into 

 Charybdis ; for birds of various kinds, swallows, swifts, tom- 

 tits, larks, chaffinches, and a host of other feathered enemies, 

 are on the watch, seeking the dainty morsels to feed them- 

 selves or their hungry young. See now how curious is the 



