94 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



dragon-fly, an infe£l of very fplendid and variegated colours. It ij 

 a large and well known fly, and frequents rivers, lakes, pools, and 

 ftagnating waters, in which the females depofit their eggs. Their 

 mode of generating is fingular. Different fpecies of them appear 

 from the beginning of fummer to the middle of autumn. They ge- 

 nerally fly in pairs, and in a flraight line, the male purfuing the fe- 

 male. The organs of the male are fituated in his breaft : When he 

 overtakes her, with the forceps in his tail he lays hold of her by 

 the neck, while fhe, by an inftindive impulfe, makes the lower end 

 of her body approach the male organs. In this united fituation they 

 form a kind of ring, have the appearance of a double animal, and 

 fly along till the purpofe is accompliflied. Under the fame order 

 is comprehended the phiyganea, oxfpring-fly : The larvae or cater- 

 pillars of this genus live in the water, and are covered with a filken 

 tube. They have a very fingular afpeft ; for, by means of a glu- 

 ten, they attach to the tubes in which they are inclofed fmall pieces 

 of wood, fand, gravel, leaves of plants, and not unfrequently live 

 teftaceous animals, all of which they drag along with them. They 

 are very commonly found in falads of the water-crefs; and, as they 

 are often entirely covered with green leaves, they have the appear- 

 ance of animated plants. They are in great requeft among fifher- 

 men, by whopi they are diftinguifhed by the name oiflone, or cod' 

 bait. The fly, or perfedt infed, frequents running waters, in which 

 the females depofit their eggs, 



Thtflfth order is termed bymenoptera. In general, the infcds 

 belonging to this order have four membranaceous and naked wings. 

 In fome of the genera, however, the neuters, and, in others, the 

 males, or even the females, have no wings. Their tails, except in 

 the male fex, are armed with a fting. — The female of the cynips, 

 an infe£t belonging to this order, inferts her eggs into the leaves of 

 the oak, and the caterpillars produced from them give rife to the 



galls 



