58 IN WINTER. 



have the advantage of seeing all that is going on 

 in the world about them, for they swim upon 

 their backs. 



A delicate and beautifully marked sunfish 

 that is silvery white with inky black bands across 

 it is common in the Delaware tide-water mead- 

 ows, and is found nowhere else. Recently in a 

 spring pool, where the flow of water was almost 

 stopped by aquatic mosses, Hypnum and Fon- 

 tinalis, I found nearly a hundred of these fish 

 gathered in a little space. All were active, and so 

 vigorous that an abundant food supply can be 

 presupposed ; but I did not bring the microscope 

 to bear upon this question, and it is upon minute 

 forms of life such as would be readily overlooked 

 by the casual observer that they subsist. But, 

 as is everywhere the case, these fish are not free 

 from molestation, although to the onlooker they 

 seem to be dwelling in a paradise. There is a 

 huge insect, murderous as a tiger, that singles 

 them out, I have thought, from the hosts of more 

 commonplace species which we can easily spare. 

 It is known as a Belostoma, and has not, so far 

 as I can learn, any common name. If they were 

 better known they probably would have a dozen. 

 They are " wide and flat-bodied aquatic insects, 

 of more or less ovate outline, furnished with pow- 

 erful flattened swimming legs," and the front 

 ones are " fitted for seizing and holding tightly 



