.!Kf E C RANE f LT . 5 3 1 



afii-colour ; the wings of a water-colour, having a brown 

 longitudinal bar upon their exterior parts. It is foun(J 

 among garden plants. 



The larger tipulae are known by the name of Serap- 

 flrefles ; the fmall by that of Culiciform. Tl.e latter, in 

 fine fummer evenings, flutter about the fides of rivers in 

 legions. The fhrill noife which they make with their 

 wings is not very difcernible unlefs they are very near. 

 They are fometimes taken for gnats ; but they \vant their 

 probofcis, and their manners are far more inoiTeniive. 



The tipula;, before they become inhabitants of the air, 

 creep in the form of grubs : Thofe of the larger kinds 

 dwell in holes of decayed willows, where they change 

 into chryfalids. In that ftate, they have ti)e power of 

 breathing through fmall curved holes. The krvse and 

 chryfalids of the fmaller tipulce are generally found in 

 water ; tliey are extremely various both in colour and 

 Corm : Som*i have cylindrical tubes through which they 

 breathe, even while confiderably immerfed in water, by 

 fhretching their points to the furface *. They fvvim with 

 great nimblenefs, but feldom forfake the hole they have 

 dug in the bank of tlie river. There are otlicrs of thefe 

 animals that fpin a filken coat, that receives part of their 

 long body before their transformation. After thefe ope- 

 rations are performed, all of them renounce their reptile 

 and aquatic life, having received inflruments of flight 

 from the hands of nature. Their frame is then fo weak, 

 that a touch is enough to crufh them. They are fome- 

 times of a beautiful green, fometimes coal black ; but the 

 mod remarkable are thofe whofe fore legs, though ex- 

 tremely long, do not touch the ground, but move in the 

 3X2 air 



f Jlcaumur, Tom. V. RIcra. i. 



