316 OBSERVATIONS ON INSECTS. 



BOMBYLIUS MEDIUS. The bombylius medius is much about 

 in March and the beginning of April, and soon seems to retire. 

 It is a hairy insect, like a humble-bee, but with only two wings, 

 and a long, straight beak, with which it sucks the early flowers. 

 The female seems to lay its eggs as it poises on its wings, by 

 striking its tail on the ground, and against the grass that stands 

 in its way, in a quick manner, for several times together. * 



MUSCJE, (FLIES.) In the decline of the year, \vhen the 

 mornings and evenings become chilly, many species of flies 

 (viuscce) retire into houses, and swarm in the windows. 



At first they are very brisk and alert ; but, as they grow 

 more torpid, one cannot help observing that they move with 

 difficulty, and are scarce able to lift their legs, which seem as 

 if glued to the glass ; and by degrees, many do actually stick 

 on till they die in the place. 



It has been observed that divers flies, besides their sharp, 

 hooked nails, have also skinny palms, or flaps to their feet, 

 whereby they are enabled to stick on glass and other smooth 

 bodies, and to walk on ceilings with their backs downward, by 

 means of the pressure of the atmosphere on those flaps; the 

 weight of which they easily overcome in warm weather, when 

 they are brisk and alert. But, in the decline of the year, this 

 resistance becomes too mighty for their diminished strength ; 

 and we see flies labouring along, and lugging their feet in 

 windows, as if they stuck fast to the glass, and it is with the 

 utmost difficulty they can draw one foot after another, and 

 disengage their hollow caps from the slippery surface. 



Upon the same principle that flies stick and support them- 

 selves, do boys, by way of play, carry heavy weights by only 

 a piece of wet leather, at the end of a string, clapped close on 

 * the surface of a stone. 



TIPUL^E, OR EMPEDES. May. Millions of empedes, or 

 lipulcs, come forth at the close of day, and swarm to such a 

 degree as to fill the air. At this juncture they sport and 

 copulate ; as it grows more dark they retire. All day they 

 hide in the hedges. As they rise in a cloud they appear like 

 smoke. 



its eggs in the larva of the tipula triiici, an insect which, when it abounds 

 greatly, is very prejudicial to the grains of wheat. This operation I have 

 frequently seen it perform with wonder and delight. MARK WICK. 



* I have often seen this insect fly with great velocity, stop on a sudden, 

 hang in the air in a stationary position for some time, and then fly off 

 again ; hut do not recollect having ever seen it strike its tail against the 

 ground, or any other substance. MARKWICK. 



