INSECTS OF THE SECOND ORDER. 



471 



they first show life, is that of a worm with six 

 legs, bearing a strong resemblance to the dragon- 

 fly in its winged state, except that the wings 

 are yet concealed within a sheath peculiar to 

 this animal. The rudiments of these appear 

 in bunches on the back, within which the 

 wings are folded up into each other, while all 

 colours and varieties of painting appear trans- 

 parent through the skin. These animals, upon 

 quitting the egg, still continue in the water, 

 where they creep and swim, but do riot move 

 swiftly. They have likewise a sharp sight, 

 and immediately sink to the bottom, if any 

 one come to the places wherein they live, or 

 whenever they perceive the least uncommon 

 object. Their food at that time is soft mud 

 and the glutinous earthy substances that are 

 found at the bottom. 



When these animals prepare to change 

 from their reptile to their flying state, they 

 then move out of the water to a dry place, as 

 into grass ; to pieces of wood, stone, or any 

 thing else they meet with. They there firmly 

 fix their acute claws ; and, for a short time, 

 continue quite unmovable, as if meditating 

 on the change they are to undergo. It is 

 then observed, that the skin first opens on the 

 head and back ; and out of this opening they 

 exhibit their real head and eyes, and at length 

 their six legs ; whilst, in the mean time, the 

 hollow and empty skin, or slough of their legs, 

 remains firmly fixed in its place. After this, 

 the enclosed creature creeps forward by de- 

 grees ; and by this means draws first its wings 

 and then its body out of the skin ; and pro- 

 ceeding a little farther, sits at rest for some 

 time, as if immovable. During this time, 

 the wings, which were moist and folded, begin 

 by degrees to expand themselves, and to make 

 smooth and even all those plaits which were 

 laid against each other, like a closed fan. The 

 body is likewise insensibly extended, until all 

 the limbs have obtained their proper size and 

 dimensions. All these surprising and difficult 

 operations are accomplished by the force of the 

 blood and the circulating humours. The crea- 

 ture cannot at first make use of its new wings, 

 and therefore is forced to stay in the same 

 place until all its limbs are dried by the cir- 

 cumambient air. It soon, however, begins to 

 enter upon a more noble life than it had hither- 

 to led in the bottom of the brook ; and from 

 creeping slowly and living accidentally, it 

 now wings the air, and makes choice from 

 amidst the variety of its provisions. 



Indeed, no animal is more amply fitted for 

 motion, subsistence, and enjoyment. As it 

 hunts and seeks after its food flying in the air, 

 Nature has provided it with two Targe eyes, 

 which make almost the whole head, and which 

 resemble glittering mother-of-pearl. It has 

 also four expansive silver-coloured wings, with 



which, as with oars, it can turn itself with pro- 

 digious velocity; and to assist these, it is 

 furnished with a very long body, which, like 

 a rudder, directs its motions. As the wings 

 are long, and the legs sTiorT, they seldom 

 walk, but are ever seen either resting or fly- 

 ing. For this reason, they always choose dry 

 branches of trees or shrubs to remain on ; and 

 when they have refreshed themselves a little, 

 they renew their flight. Thus they are seen 

 adorning the summer with a profusion of 

 beauty, lightly traversing the air in a thousand 

 directions, and expanding the most beautiful 

 colours to the sun. The garden, the forest, the 

 hedges, and the rivulets, are animated by their 

 sports ; and there are few who have been 

 brought up in the country, who have not em- 

 ployed a part of their childhood in the pursuit. 



But while these beautiful flies appear to us 

 so idly and innocently employed, they are in 

 fact the greatest tyrants of the insect tribe ; 

 and, like the hawk among birds, are only hov- 

 ering up and down to seize their^prey. They 

 are the strongest and the most courageous of 

 all winged insects ; nor is there one, how large 

 soever, that they will not attack and devour. 

 The blue-fly, the bee, the wasp, and the hor- 

 net, make their constant prey ; and even the 

 butterfly, that spreads so large a wing, is often 

 caught and treated without mercy. Their 

 appetite seems to know no bounds ; they spend 

 the whole day in the pursuit, and have been 

 seen to devour three times their own size in 

 the capture of a single hour. They seize their 

 prey flying with their six claws, and tear it 

 easily to pieces with their teeth, which are 

 capable of inflicting troublesome wounds. 



But the males are upon the wing for another 

 purpose beside that of food, as they are very 

 salacious, and seek the females with great 

 ardour. The sun no sooner begins to warm 

 the fields, than the males are found assiduous- 

 ly employed each in seeking its mate ; and 

 no sooner does a female appear, but two or 

 three males are seen pursuing, and endeavour- 

 ing to seize her with all their arts and agility. 

 The instrument of generation in the male is 

 placed very different from that of any other 

 insect, being not at the end of the tail, as in 

 others, but immediately under the breast, and 

 consequently, at first view, incapable of being 

 united to the sexual part of the female : which, 

 as in order insects, lies in the tail. To per- 

 form this junction, Nature has provided the 

 male with a very peculiar manner of proceed- 

 ing, As soon as he perceives the female, and 

 finds himself sufficiently near, he seizes upon 

 the back of her head by surprise, and fasten- 

 ing his claws upon her, turns round his forky 

 tail, which he fastens round her neck, and in 

 this manner fixes himself so closely and firmly, 

 that no efforts can remove him. It is in vain 



