THE BASSES: FRES H w ATER AND MARINE 



Dobson 



The dobson or helgramite is the aquatic larva of 

 a fly, the horned corydalis (Corydalis cornutus), 

 somewhat resembling and closely allied to the 

 " devil's darning-needle " or " dragon-fly," a large 

 well-known, lace-wing fly. It is also found under, 

 above, just below, and on the low-water line of 

 rivers and other waters of low temperature. Lift 

 a stone quickly, and seize the animal instantly, for 

 it is a rapid mover and disappears in a trice. It 

 has nearly as many legs as a centipede, and two 

 nippers on the front of the head, with which it 

 often seizes the hand of its captor, inflicting a 

 small but harmless wound, the pain of which 

 ceases in a moment or two. 



Why the nomenclature of the dobson should be 

 so suggestive of the infernal regions and his Satanic 

 majesty it is hard to determine, though the long 

 antennae or horns of the perfect winged creature 

 have something to do with the vulgar naming of a 

 harmless animal. It is said to exist for several 

 years in the larval state, and it is during this 

 period that it is suitable for baiting purposes. 



The varied and curious nature of the names 

 assigned to the dobson has no parallel, and can be 

 accounted for only by the fact that the creature 

 has been found in a fossil state in stratas of pri- 



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