POND LIFE. 



91 



83). But there are certain insects, abundant about a 

 ditch near this pond, which resemble these dragon- 



Fig. 83. 



flies very closely in structure, but differ in that they 

 fold their wings parallel with the body when resting 

 (Fig. 84). They have not the great powers of flight 

 possessed by the dragon-flies that do not fold their 

 wings, but flit airily from plant 

 to plant. The more gentle hab- 

 its of these insects have led the 

 French to call them demoiselles 

 or damsels. 



English writers heretofore 

 have classed both of these kinds 

 of insects under the name dra- 

 gon-flies, but in the following 

 pages we will restrict the name 

 dragon-flies to those that hold 

 their wings spread out and term 

 those that fold their wings dam- 

 sel-flies. 



There is a great variety of 

 damsel-flies. Some have nearly fig. 84. 



