4 THE CLASSES* 



on both land and water, and will suffer themselves to 

 be taken up by the wings. They are not so hardy as 

 the browns ; their shoulders and bodies are naked and 

 exposed, but nature has furnished them with a tempo- 

 rary covering to protect them from the cold, which 

 they cast off when it is no longer required. They are 

 hatched and take wing, a perfect fly, in this protective 

 covering, which is a thin filmy skin, that fits close to 

 all the parts, and obscures or tinges the real colors of the 

 fly ; at its own time, probably when the weather suits 

 it bursts open its temporary covering at the shoulders, 

 in the same way as it did the creeper case, [see Cree- 

 per,] and comes out generally a different color, giving 

 it the appearance of a different fly. The wings are 

 then, more transparent and sparkling, the colors more 

 distinct, and the whole fly, as if imbued with fresh 

 spirit, is more smart and active. They then sport on 

 the wing, and assemble together into those groups or 

 swarms we see about the waters in summer evenings, 

 usually called spinners, when they are in their matured 

 state and last dress. Individuals vary in each species 

 of the Drake class : some may be seen with very long 

 fore legs, long hairs or whisks in the tail, and case eyes, 

 which seem placed on a flat or convex projection from 

 each side of the top of the head ; but are most observ- 

 able after casting their skins. Some species, like the 

 green Drake, hatch their main body in two or three 

 weeks, and soon after disappear for the season ; others, 

 like the iron blue, continue hatching successively 

 through it. They are a delicate and beautiful class of 

 flies, of various sizes, colors, and shades abounding in 

 all their varieties in vast numbers, in the streams of 



