38 POND LIFE 



they open and close their mandibles from the very moment of 

 birth. 



The " whirligigs " are members of the Gyrinidae. They are 

 metallic-like little beetles of shiny appearance and oval in 

 shape. Their name implies their habits, for they are always 

 whirling about on the surface of the water rushing round and 

 round at a great pace, often as if engaged in a game of catch 

 with others of their kind : should danger threaten, the Gyri- 

 nidae dart beneath the water and hide in the mud until 

 satisfied that all is safe, and then reappearing continue their 

 interrupted pastime. 



Nature has treated few creatures more kindly than the 

 Gyrinidae : their shape, the well,-rounded elytra, the peculiar 

 arrangement of their eyes, that allows perfect vision of the 

 air above and the water below, give them a superiority over 

 most other creatures. When the sun is shining these fine 

 little beetles skimming to and fro on the water-film resemble 

 highly-polished steel bullets. 



In the spring the females lay their eggs on water-plants. 

 After a few days the eggs hatch into very curious little 

 creatures of charming appearance. Although so fragile they, 

 like the larva of Dytiscus and Hydrophilus, are carnivorous, 

 and spend their youth destroying and feeding upon all that 

 comes their way. Eventually they climb out of the water 

 and wrap themselves in a cocoon to pupate. After three or 

 four weeks the little metallic beetles make their appearance 

 and re-enter the water. Needless to mention, the Gyrinidae 

 are good fliers, and during the summer, attracted by the light, 

 often enter open windows, and mistaking the tablecloth with 

 its cups and plates for a pond, fly down, landing in all sorts of 

 unconventional positions, often on their backs, on which they 

 rapidly spin round and round in a most astonishing manner. 



In its natural element, either on the surface of or in the 

 water below, Gyrinus has few if any equals : but on land its 

 powers of progression are sadly at fault. During our child- 

 hood two short words were constantly used " Don't touch " ; 

 and the gentle reader will, I am sure, forgive me for repeating 

 the old adage, for water-beetles when frightened are able to 

 produce a foetid-smelling liquid so nauseating that one more 

 than regrets having fingered the creatures. 



Although water-bugs are not the obnoxious animals their 

 name would imply, yet we cannot be surprised that bugs are 

 universally disliked, for no other family of insects has played 

 or will play such havoc to man's crops as the bugs. The water- 

 Hemiptera (Hydrocorisa) are, however, perfectly harmless, 



