78 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



"just at the moment it cleared itself of the pupariiini. 

 " The wings were white, thick, and rumpled ; the body 

 " slender, and about three-eighths of an inch in length. 

 '' I took it gently out and watched its proceedings. It 

 *' first bent its long antennai under the breast, and then 

 "curved the abdomen, in which position it remained. It 

 "was some time before I could perceive any change in 

 " the wings, but at last they began to increase, and in 

 " about an hour they were at the full size, though they 

 "did not attain their markings and spots till two or 

 " three hours. I now discovered that it is a lace-winged 

 " fly {Hemerobius), the first of the genus I have ever seen ; 

 "and I cannot sufficiently admire the beauty and delicacy 

 " of the ample wings, the gracefulness of the little head, 

 " and the lady-like appearance of the whole insect. I 

 "know not from what pupa it could have come (for 

 " though it was evolved the moment I first saw it, yet I 

 " was so taken up with the fly that I neglected to observe 

 " the pupa-case, and afterwards I could not find it), unless, 

 " which I think probable, it was from one of those little 

 " silky cocoons, on the inner surface of willow bark, which 

 "I found on the 19th of March, and which I took for 

 "weevils! However, I shall soon ascertain, for I have 

 " more of them." 

 Another fragment of this copious correspondence may 



be given, from a letter of June 21, 1833, as an example of 



Newfoundland landscape : — 



" Before six this morning, I was on the shore of Little 

 " Beaver Pond, where I stood for a few moments in mere 

 " admiration of the day and quiet beauty of the scene. 

 " The black, calm pond was sleeping below me, reflecting 

 " from its unruffled surface every tree and bush of the 

 " towering hill above, as in a perfect mirror. Stretching 

 " away to the east were other ponds, embosomed in the 



