EPHEMERA. 157 



in the water, and the little animal enters upon the 

 longest of its states of existence. They are furnished 

 with six feet and six fins, so that they can either burrow 

 in the mud or swim in the water. The former is a 

 favourite practice with many of them : they are said to 

 live upon the soft mud ; and they certainly do make 

 holes into it for some little distance, when they turn 

 and burrow their way back to the water by another 

 route. They live in this manner for two or three years, 

 or possibly for a longer period, without quitting the 

 water, or coming to its surface ; and the larva and 

 chrysalis are not easily distinguished from each other. 

 They are supposed to remain in the latter state for some 

 time, until the temperature of the air suits their final 

 transformation. When in the water, they cast their 

 coats several times, and empty coats may be found 

 floating on the surface ; but these may in many cases 

 have had their substance sucked out by the larvae of 

 other insects. 



There seems indeed to be more labour in the bring- 

 ing forward of this little creature of a few hours' 

 existence, than in that of an elephant. The three or 

 four years' preparation in the water, and the change at 

 the surface, from the cased nymph to the winged insect, 

 are not all. Even when winged, it is but for flight to 

 the nearest bank, where it again casts its covering, 

 wings and all, and comes out the final fly in which the 

 wonderful life soon closes. The males appear to do 

 little else than shake their wings, and then drop down 

 and die ; but the females are more active, though they 

 too hurry their task of depositing their eggs, lest death 

 should overtake them ere it be accomplished. 



