THE VALE OF GALA. 47 



of June, it altogether leaves or creeps out of this 

 case or shell which has many feet, a large and 

 beautiful fly, having two pair of wings, the outer 

 large and the inner much smaller, which lie 

 close to its back, and not like those of the 

 ephemera fly, which stick cocked up. It keeps 

 under stones, but gradually, while the sun is out 

 or smiling, leaves them and settles on the trees 

 or brackens in its vicinity. 1 The female is the 

 largest, and comes into the world already pre- 

 pared for supplying it again with the species, as 

 behind the wings and on her back she carries 

 her whole future brood, though not yet fecun- 

 dated by the male fly ; but nature is kind in this 

 instance, and, as their time is short, like the wise, 

 they make the most of it, and soon draw together, 

 and she is very soon seen seemingly carrying 

 the male insect on her back, over the rough 

 places, both apparently very much delighted. 

 After this, like the common pigeon, they take 

 wing in air, in pairs, and unless in her short 

 flight she be snapped up by a large trout, the 

 female then drops the ova in the water, these, 

 when seen through a magnifying glass, are 



1 This is not the green drake or dragon fly we see on 

 the Thames about Maidenhead. 



