510 THE MAY FLY. 



in the most urgent necessity. When it wants to feed, it puts out its 

 head at either end of its case, as bests suits its convenience. When it- 

 wishes to change its place, it puts out its head, and its six fore-legs, by 

 means of which it moves forward, taking care first to fix its hind legs 

 into the inside of the case, so as to drag it along. 



It lives in this manner, until by the augmentation of its size, its case 

 becomes too small for the body. When this is felt, it begins by 

 making a small addition to one end ; then, turning itself within the 

 case, which, in the middle, is always wide enough for that purpose, it 

 makes a little addition to the other end, so as still to preserve the 

 widest part exactly in the middle : and in a similar manner it makes 

 every successive addition. 



The progress of its operations may be easily remarked, by trans- 

 ferring it from cloth of one color to that of another. In this case 

 every fresh addition will become conspicuous, by forming. a small ring 

 of their respective colors at each end, as they are used. 



When the case wants widening, the insect, with its scissor-like teeth, 

 begins by making a slit lengthways, from the centre to one of the 

 extremities. This opening it instantly fills up with a thin stripe of 

 wool externally, and silk internally, in the same manner as in the 

 other parts. It afterwards, at a little distance from this, makes another 

 slit at the same end, which it also fills up ; then turning itself within, 

 it repeats the same process from the centre to the other end. 



After having changed within its case into a chrysalis, it issues, in 

 about three weeks, a small winged nocturnal Moth, of silvery -gray 

 color, well known to almost every mistress of a family. 



It may be useful to point out the best modes of preventing the 

 havoc, which these insects commit in our wardrobes and furniture. 

 The smell of oil of turpentine is instantaneous death to them ; if, 

 therefore, the goods affected by them be put into a close place, along 

 with a saucer or other open vessel containing oil of turpentine, the 

 warm air raising the vapor will immediately destroy them. Sometimes, 

 if the caterpillars be old and strong, it may be necessary to brush the 

 clothes with a brush, the points of which have been dipped in the 

 l.urpentine. The smoke of tobacco also kills them ; and cloth that 

 has been steeped in a decoction of tobacco-leaves, will never afterwards 

 be affected by them. 



THE MAY FLY. 



The May Fly is the largest of the British species. In the month 

 of June it assembles in myriads under trees near waters, and dances 

 away the few hours allotted to it, ascending and descending in the air, 

 forming mazy circles, and giving life and animation to the loveliness 

 of a balmy summer evening. Their larvae are the favorite food of the 

 fresh-water fishes, as are also the flies themselves. They are more 

 numerous in running streams than in standing waters. ' 



