10 THE CLASSES. 



communities, often of immense numbers, and are 

 dispersed over the fields and in the woods, in places of 

 their own peculiar choice. A portion of each commu- 

 nity are annually furnished with wings ; and in the 

 summer season, at their appointed time, fly off and 

 leave the colony as bees do their hives, when numbers 

 fall on the neighbouring streams and are readily nipped 

 up by the fishes. The working portion of the com- 

 munity have large hawk-like heads, and large oval 

 bodies which are united by two or three comparatively 

 very small shoulder joints, to which their legs are attach- 

 ed, but those that have wings appear to have but one 

 jumped-up shoulder, as thick as their bodies, and uni- 

 ted by a small, hair-like link ; they have two jointed 

 feelers, which they make constant use of, and run ex- 

 ceedingly fast. Some species have one, and some two 

 pair of thin glassy wings, which fold flat over the back 

 and reach beyond the end of the body ; the top ones 

 are the length of the Ant. Their colors vary, shading 

 from black to red and the lightest amber. They are 

 brilliant little gems on the top of the water : sparkling 

 with short gilded reflections, and rich transparencies. 

 Descriptions of these two species may suffice for the 

 whole ; their most striking difference being but in size 

 and shades of the above colors. 



The red Ant Fly , . . . PAGE 68 

 black , 70 



On Creepers .... PAGE 104 



On Hackles 113 



Artificial Flies 118 



END OF THE CLASSES. 



