1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FAR:\IER. 



337 



THE DKAGOIf-FLY, (Libellula.) 



This is the interesting little insect generally 

 known throughout New England as 'T/ie DeviVs 

 Darning Needle," — of whom all country children 

 have heard as the "ci-itter" that would come and 

 sew their mouths up if they indulged in making 

 naughty speeches. The French call them Dem- 

 oiselles, and the Germans, Wasserjungfeen, (Vir- 

 gins of the Water.) 



Jaeger, in his North American Insects, says 

 the dragon-flies are hardly ever seen at rest, but 

 are in continual motion, flying past us almost as 



quick as lightning, and winging their way through 

 the air, over gardens, meadows, rivulets and 

 ponds. The water is their birth-place. 



"Instead of being mild and gentle, like the 

 butterflies or other winged inhabitants of the air 

 ■who draw their nourishment from fruits and flow- 

 ers, these insects are savage beasts of prey, mer- 

 ciless assassins, who plow the airy waves for no 

 other purpose than, falconlike, to catch with 

 their claws all kinds of Avinged insects that they 

 meet, and devour them with their powerful jaws. 



"It is, however, in this, their murderous char- 

 acter, and rapacious habits, that their chief use to 

 man consists ; for being themselves directly in- 

 capable of injuring him, they rid him of insects 

 that are directly capable of annoying him by bit- 

 ing and stinging. Thus, if a few dragon-flies be 

 shut up in a house for only a short time, they will 

 eflfectually purify it of all flies, mosquitos, or oth- 

 er troublesome blood-suckers. 



"The dragon-fly, which may be handled by man 

 with perfect impunity — for it cannot bite or sting, 

 or poison him — is often a source of terror in a 

 house or garden, where it might be extremely use- 

 ful in destroying mosquitoes if allowed to re- 

 main." 



These insects are not only usful to man in de- 

 stroying those that devastate his crops and annoy 

 his hours of repose, but they are exceedingly in- 

 teresting in some of their habits, and especially 

 m that of securing their food. Please listen :— ! 



In a calm summer afternoon towards the last of 

 June, or in July, at about five o'clock, sit down 

 on the bank with your face to the West, and have 

 a hill of corn or some other springing plant be- 

 tween you and the setting sun. What do you 

 see ? Not anything. Observe yet more close- 

 ly. What was that — a shadow ? Again and 

 again — it cannot be a shifting shadow, it is too 

 rapid for that. See ! it passes quicker than light- 

 ning, if possible ! Look a little fiirther off". Ah ! 

 I see it now — there is the Dragon-fly, poised in 

 the air, apparently as motionless as death, with 

 wings outstretched, just as 

 they are represented in the 

 engraving above. What can 

 he be doing, so motionless, 

 hanging in the air ! He is 

 — but he is gone ! What 

 could have struck him out 

 of existence so suddenly ? 

 Look on the other side of 

 the corn. O, there he is, 

 just as still as ever. He is 

 watching his prey. Now 

 look between yourself and 

 the sun and you see insects 

 darting off" from the hill of 

 corn, so small that the eye 

 would not discern them unless in that peculiar 

 light. They dart from the corn, make a few gy- 

 rations and back again, that being the boundary 

 of their travels, and, alas, too often the boundary 

 of their little life. The dragon-fly does not rest 

 suspended in the air without an object — and eve- 

 ry time he passes back and forth, one of the tiny 

 dwellers upon the corn goes to make up his eve- 

 ning meal. 



Will not these suggestions induce many to 

 study the habits of, and become more familiar 

 with, the beautiful and harmless dragon-fly ? 



THE THISTLE BUTTERFLY, OR PAINTED LADY. 



This insect will probably be recognized by 

 most readers, as a gay, beautiful thing. It is very 

 common in the United States and in Europe, 



where it goes by the name of the "Painted Lady." 

 It sometimes appears in such numbers that their 



