104 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



tioned my faith in the " little people," or the fairies. 

 When I suggested it was a long way for them to come 

 across the Atlantic, he took great pains to convince me 

 that if they carSd for the family when they lived in Ire- 

 land, they would not mind how long the voyage or the 

 distance, so that they could watch over them here. 



On the borders of the lake I see many beautiful 

 dragon-flies of all colors — red, blue, green, bronze, and 

 some rare large flies with jet-black gauzy wings. 



One kind, that I have tried in vain to capture, had a 

 scarlet crescent mark on each lower pair of wings. 

 Another, not less remarkable, was distinguished by azure 

 blue crescents on the wings. These flies led me a chase 

 for some time, I was so much struck with the beauty of 

 the rare insects. They did not resemble the gay dragon- 

 flies in form or color, and I wished to obtain a specimen 

 to send home to a friend ; but after that summer I saw 

 them no more, they having disappeared with the pine 

 woods. 



There is a pretty and curious insect, one of the Sphinx 

 family, that comes out in the cool of the evening, and is 

 very busy on the mignonette and other low growing 

 border plants. It is very much like a bee in appearance, 

 and sings a low humming song as it darts from flower 

 to flower. Its body is longer and narrower than that of 

 the bee, and its colors are black and white in bands. 

 The lower wings of these curious moths are exceedingly 



