CHAPTER XI 



THE WATER SPRING-TAIL (PODURA) 



I WILL begin the account of the Water Spring-tail 

 by a short notice of De Geer, the Swedish Reaumur, 

 to whom we owe the first account of this animal, 

 and also a host of accurate and interesting observa- 

 tions on almost all kinds of Insects. 



Baron Charles De Geer was born in 1720. He 

 came of a Dutch family long settled in Sweden. 

 One of his ancestors, Louis De Geer, came over from 

 Holland in the time of Gustavus Adolphus, and in- 

 troduced better methods of smelting iron than had 

 previously been known. He set up foundries for 

 cannon, brass-works and manufactories of small 

 arms. He brought Belgian workmen to the cele- 

 brated mines of Dannemora, and formed them into 

 a colony which long retained its foreign character. 

 Louis De Geer acquired great wealth, which he spent 

 freely upon public and benevolent objects. He was 

 ennobled, and founded a family distinguished for 

 power of more than one kind. The naturalist, Charles 

 De Geer, was brought up in Holland. It is said 

 that his interest in Insects was roused at an early 



