252 INSECT WATER TRESPASSERS. 



upon the fresh- water shrimps, in spite of their shelly 

 armour. 



The insect used to crawl very gently and quietly 

 towards its prey, and as soon as it came within reach, 

 would raise its fore legs well over its head, and deliver 

 a blow so rapid that the eye could hardly follow it. 

 " Daddy " was of a very combative nature, and would 

 strike at anything which annoyed it. Irritating the 

 insect with a pencil was rather a favourite amusement, 

 and certainly, the courage of " Daddy/' and the force 

 of the blows which he delivered on the pencil, were 

 well worthy of notice. Like the preceding insects, 

 the Eanatra is furnished with large wings, which are 

 packed with great neatness beneath the elytra. 



THE WHIRLWIG BEETLE (Gyrinus natator) . 



We will now pass to a few examples where insects 

 are trespassers upon, rather than beneath, the water. 



The reader will recollect that mention has been 

 made of the Whirlwig Beetles, so called from their 

 perpetual gyrations upon the surface of the water. 



These curious insects look exactly as if they were 

 encased in burnished steel and then oiled, so hard, 

 polished, and slippery are they. The modification of 

 structure which enables the insect to whirl about in 

 so active a manner is well worth investigation. 



The two fore legs are rather long and slender, and 

 are used, like those of the preceding insect, in cap- 

 turing prey. The middle and last pairs are exceed- 



