344 THE COMMON EPHEMERA OR DAY-FLY. 



vast multitudes which alighted upon it. But what 

 he had seen about the tub was nothing to what he 

 saw when he went again to the side of the river. 

 " The quantity of Ephemerae," says he, " which filled 

 the air, can neither be expressed nor conceived. 

 Wb«erj snow falls thickest, and in the largest flakes, 

 the air is never so completely filled with them as 

 that which burrounded us was w 7 ith Ephemerae. 

 Scarcely had I remained a few minutes in one 

 place, when the step on which I stood was covered 

 in every part with their bodies, to the depth of two 

 or three, and in some places even of more than four 

 inches. The whole surface of the water, for six 

 feet at least irom the bank, was entirely covered 

 with a coat of Ephemerae ; those which the cur- 

 rent carried off were more than replaced by those 

 which fell continually in that place. I was several 

 times compelled to abandon my station, by retreat- 

 ing to the top of the stair, not being able to sustain, 

 the shower of Ephemerae which, not falling so per- 

 pendicularly as an ordinary shower, or with an obli- 

 quity equally constant, struck me uninterruptedly, 

 and in a very troublesome manner, on all parts of 

 the face : my eyes, nose, and mouth, were filled 

 with Ephemerae. It was an unpleasant post to 

 hold the candle on this occasion : the man who 

 held it had Ins whole body covered with these flies 

 in an instant ; they rushed to him from all parts in 

 such quantities as to oppress him. The light of the 

 candle occasioned a spectacle altogether different 

 from any thing that can be observed in any kind of 

 meteorological shower : it was enchanting when 



