PUPJE OF CRANE-FLIES. 311 



fly, are brought by degrees to their full measure and per- 

 fection. Before, however, this important epoch quite arrives, 

 our Father Longlegs, now a long fellow in a sack, seeming 

 through a load of superincumbent earth to smell the air, con- 

 trives, cleverly, to work himself upwards, not merely to the 

 surface of the ground, but to an inch or two above it of 

 upright elevation. Thus supported by surrounding blades 

 and stalks of grass, comes forth, at length, in all his dis- 

 proportioned, yet appropriate lengthiness of limb, the Tipula, 

 alias Crane-fly, alias Tailor, alias Jenny Spinner, alias 

 Father Longlegs, whose long history we thus end just where 

 we began it. 



Pupa-cases, such as above described, either occupied or 

 vacant, may sometimes be seen in scores amongst the herbage 

 where crane-flies are abundant. The practice of these, in 

 wriggling themselves towards or above the surface, whether 

 of ground or tree, wherein they have been imbedded, is one 

 frequently exemplified in the pupaB, or chrysalides, of various 

 insects, whose delicate wings would otherwise be injured in 

 bursting from their temporary tombs. One amongst thou- 

 sands, this, of those nice provisions of Providential care, such 

 as cannot but excite our love and admiration. 



Besides the common Tipula^ there are others of nearly 

 resembling size and figure, but much more gaily coloured. 

 One of these 2 sports, instead of the sober russet-grey of Father 

 Longlegs, an extremely handsome uniform of black and 

 orange-yellow, black-tipped wings, and plumed antennae of 

 imposing length and beauty. This, with others of the more 

 distinguished few of the Longleg family, is only likely to be 

 met with singly, sporting beside woods and hedgerows, never 

 in troops over grassy meadows ; and even their grubs, with 

 birth-places less lowly than the common herd, generally first 

 see the darkness, not in subterranean vaults underground, but 

 in the hollow chambers of decaying trees. 



1 Tipula oleracia. 2 Ctenophora ornata. 



