268 



FEE SH- WATER AQUAEIA. 



confined should be covered with glass, so that the insects, 



when they become perfect, shall not escape before they have 



been seen and examined. If a piece of flat wood is allowed 



to float upon the surface of the water, the imago will be sure 



of finding a resting place when it has 



emerged from the pupal envelope. The 



perfect insect (Fig. 163) is about Jin. 



long, and of a brown colour. The 



antennsB are lighter in colour, the plumes 



on those of the male being almost white. 



Both the wings and the plumed antennse 



look unusually beautiful under the micro- 



„ ,„ „ ,. scope. There are two dark stripes upon 



FIG. 163. Male Midge, ,, ., » ,, ,i m, • f 



CoBETHKA PLUMi- the sidcs oi the thorax. The inner edges 



CORNIS (ENLAKGED). J! j.1. ■ J! ■ J 



^ ot the wmgs are tnnged. 



The genus Chironomus includes about 

 195 British specie's, of which C. plv/mogus is by far the 

 commonest. The larva of this species is the "Bloodworm" 

 of anglers, and the " Eed "Wriggler " of the schoolboy. 

 These larvae can be found in stagnant water almost anywhere; 

 e.g., in rain-water tubs, ponds, ditches, pools, and the like. 

 The life-history of these insects is very similar to that of 

 the gnat already mentioned. These larvae are much more 

 worm-like than those of the gnat. They are of a blood-red 

 colour. The pupa has five long hairy bronchial appendages 

 on each side of its large thorax. The perfect insect is about 

 jin. long, and of a light yellowish colour. There are three 

 dark bands on its thorax. 



One of the commonest species of the family StratiomyidoB 

 is the beautiful fly known as the Stratiomys chameleon. The 

 female insect deposits her eggs upon the under-side of a 

 broad-leafed aquatic plant — generally the Water Plantain 

 (Alisma Plantago). The eggs are arranged so as to overlap 

 each other, like the slates on the roof a house. The larvse 

 which are hatched from these eggs are very curious and 

 interesting. They are elongated in shape, tapering much 

 towards the tail; and they have small heads. At the narrower 

 end of the body there is an extremely interesting breathing 



