THE MAY-FLY'S MOLTING 8i 



your hand out of the glove, and you will have 

 some idea of the way the May-fly pulls its six 

 slender legs out of their tight-fitting "stockings." 

 Pulling and straining this way and that, dreading 

 no doubt that its hold on my hand might give 

 way, at last my May-fly had freed its legs. The 

 weary creature was well-nigh exhausted. It feebly 

 tried to make use of the new legs. They seemed 

 to bend in the wrong places and to give no sup- 

 port. The wings were of no special use yet, as 

 they were not thoroughly stiff or dry. The May- 

 fly was much improved by its change of raiment, 

 though at first it acted rather indifferent. By the 

 time the legs were able to take a firm grip on 

 my finger the creature was becoming bolder. Its 

 main effort was expended in getting the long anal 

 filaments out of their old skins. I longed to help 

 but knew that accident might result if I interfered. 

 This last act of molting seems a rather difficult 

 one. Many break their filaments off short, one or 

 both of them ; others fly away with the whole cast 

 skin clinging to the threads. They must be very 

 much in the way, dragging behind in such a fash- 

 ion. One might imagine that in May-flydom it 

 would be considered a disgrace to carry such a 

 bundle of rags about. It must be inconvenient in 

 flying as well as a cause of ridicule amongst one's 

 neighbors. 



My May-fly found it difficult to get a firm foot- 

 hold on my hand, so I transferred it to the boat 

 seat. In a few minutes it pulled free, its hand- 

 some banded filaments stretched to their full length. 



