CHAPTER XII 



INSECTS OF THE SEA-SHORE 



It has been a surprise even to professed naturalists, 

 even to men who have made Insects the study of 

 years, to discover that Insects have contrived to 

 occupy not only the surface of the earth, the soil 

 beneath the surface, the air, the freshwater streams, 

 and the freshwater lakes, but even the sea beach and 

 the sea itself. Seventy years ago, that is, previous to 

 Audouin's study of the habits of Aepus, very few 

 entomologists had thought it worth while to search 

 for Insects among the refuse cast up by the tide. 

 That air-breathing Insects should betake themselves 

 to places where they might be covered by the salt 

 tide, seemed incredible, even to those who were 

 familiar with the many Insects which haunt our 

 rivers and ponds. And yet, even before Audouin's 

 time, Lyonnet, Treviranus, and Straus-Diirckheim 

 had observed the singular power of certain Insects 

 to endure complete immersion. Their observations, 

 however, failed to impress the minds of naturalists. 

 The supposed impossibility of Insect-life on the sea- 

 •sriore between tide-marks was based upon no experi- 



