whicH are pointed a>t the tips and seixated — that is, have & 

 toothed or saw-like edge inside. With these they seize their 

 prey, and masticate it with their vmder-jaw. Nothing which 

 they can adhere, to seeias to come amiss. One fiill-sized 

 water-beetle will, in the course of twenty-foiir hours, Idll and 

 eat a small frog and two or three smaJl-sized £shes. 



The beetle known as the " water-boatman," although addiotecl 

 to eating any of the small fry of his own or any one else's tribe, 

 is a very interesting fellow. It may be known by the peculiar 

 construction of its hind legs, the lower joints of which are fringed 

 and compressed, and somewhat resemble oars, by which the 

 insect is enabled to propel himself through the water with great 

 rapidity. In shape, the body is thick and triangular, and the 

 outer half of the superior wings fold over each other. Its habits 

 are very singular. All day long it lies on the surface of a 

 ditch, belly uppermost, and its limbs folly stretched out as 

 though he were the most luxurious and lazy fellow in beetledom ; 

 but this is merely a ruse ; idle as he seems, he is broad awake 

 to aH that is going on around him ; and should any likely prey 

 approach within reach of the boatman's long limbs, it is clutched 

 without mercy, and offshoots the insect to devour.it at its leisure. 

 This is its daylight behaviour ; 

 but as evening approaches, it 

 assumes quite a new aspect: 

 it no longer reclines on ita 

 back, but, assuming a natural 

 position, unfolds a pair of 

 handsome wings, and sails into 

 the air to prey on such tiny 

 insects as may happen to be the boatman. 



abroad. This last feature of 



the boatman's character should be borne in mind by those 

 who think of ;giving bim a plaee in their aq-uarium. 



Caddice "Worms, says the author of the " Indoor Naturaliflt," 

 may be introduced into the tank with safety, and their dumgy 

 attempts at locomotion will afford the observer considerable 

 amusement. These worms are the larvae of v-arious species of 

 Phrygcmea. To protect their soft bodies, which constitute a 

 favourite food with fishes, th^ always inclose themselves in 

 cases formed of various materials — bits of straw aaid sticks, 

 pebbles, and even small shells being employed in this manner. 

 The materials are kept together by silken threads, whidi they 

 Bpin from the mouth in the same jnanner as the oaterpillara. 

 *^ 60 '« 



