[ 337 1 



THE DRAGON-FLIES*. 



THE Dragon-flies are an extremely ravenous 

 tribe, hovering over stagnant pools, as the hawks 

 do over the land, in search of prey. Their larva 

 are active inhabitants of the water; and, furnished 

 with forcipated jaws, they prey with the most rapa 

 cious ferocity on aquatic insects. The chrysalis re„ 

 sembles the larva in every respect except in having 

 the rudiments cf wings. 



In both these primary states the animals respire 

 water by receiving and ejecting it at an aperture 

 at the termination of their bodies. They are occa- 

 sionally observed to throw out water from thence 

 with such force that the stream is perceptible to the 

 distance of two or three inches from their bodies. If 

 they be kept some time out of water, the desire or 

 necessity of respiration is augmented : and, accord- 

 ingly, when replaced in a vessel filled with water, 

 inspirations and respirations are repeated with un- 

 usual force and frequency. If one of them is held in 

 the hand, and drops of water are applied to the pos- 

 terior end of its body, it instantly, by an apparatus 



* The Linnean order of Neuropterous Insects commences with 

 this tribe. 



VOL. Ill, Z 



