80 POPULAR ENTOMOLOGY. 



small horns, and the pupa swims with great agility by means 

 of two small swimmerets, or little oars. There is an appa- 

 rent difficulty in this little aquatic animal casting off a 

 form with which it could not live in the air, and assuming 

 that which would be destroyed in its future element. But 

 Nature, or rather the God of Nature, is never at a loss for 

 expedients ; the pupa rises to the surface, when ready to 

 enter its new condition, and elevating the thorax above the 

 level of the water, the skin bursts, by swelling the exposed 

 part, and the head and thorax of the Gnat are seen, while 

 the rest of the body gradually appears. At this critical 

 period (say the authors of the " Introduction to Ento- 

 mology") the old skin acts as a lifeboat to the little ani- 

 mal; the observer, who sees how this little boat sinks closer 

 and closer to the margin, feels interested for the safety of 

 the insect, for should it upset, the tiny mariner would 

 certainly be drowned ; but the Gnat, having fixed itself 

 perpendicularly, draws first its two anterior legs out of 

 their case, and moving them forward, proceeds to do the 

 same with the next pair ; then resting for an instant on the 

 surface of the water, the wings unfold themselves, are dried, 

 and the insect flies away to enjoy its new existence. 

 CULEX PULICARIS. The Midge. Body slender ; antennae 



