GREY DRAKE. 39 



then, by the help of their tail, they spring up 

 again, and descend again, and thus continue till 

 they have exhausted their stock of eggs, and 

 spent their strength, being so weak that they can 

 rise no more, but fall a prey to the fish ; but by 

 much the greater number perish on the waters, 

 which are covered with them : this is the end of 

 the females ; but the males never resort to the 

 rivers, as I could perceive, but after they have 

 done their office, drop down, languish and die 

 under the trees and bushes. I observed that the 

 females were most numerous, which was very ne- 

 cessary, considering the many enemies they have 

 during the short time of their appearance, for 

 both birds and iish are very fond of them, and 

 no doubt under the waier they are food for small 

 aquatic insects. What is further remarkable in 

 this surprising creature is, that in a life of a few 

 days it eats nothing, seems to have no apparatus 

 for that purpose, but brings up with it, out of the 

 water, sufficient support to enable it to shed its 

 skin, and to perform the principal end of life 

 with great vivacity. The particular time when I 

 observed them very numerous and sportive, was 

 on the C6th of May, at six o'clock in the even- 

 ing. It was a sight very surprising and entertain- 

 ing, to see the rivers teeming- with innumerable 

 pretty, nimble, flying insects, and almost every 

 thing near covered with them. When 1 looked 

 up into the air it was full of them, as high as I 

 could discern ; and being so thick and always in 

 motion, they made almost such an appearance as 

 when one looks up, and sees the snow coming 

 down ; and yet this wonderful appearance, in 

 three or four clays after the last of May, totally 

 disappeared." 



