POND LIFE. 93 



It is exceedingly difficult to catch dragon-flies 

 while they are on the wing. Watch them till one 

 alights, and then approach it quietly till within reach 

 of it and capture it with a very quick sweep of the 

 net. Damsel-flies, however, are easily captured. 



The Habits of Dragon-flies and Damsel- 

 flies {School Work). — Write an account of an excur- 

 sion that you have made yourself to a pond or 

 stream, and include in it the observations that you 

 made on dragon-flies and damsel-flies. State also in 

 this account whether you believe these insects to be 

 injurious or beneficial to man, and the reasons for this 

 belief. 



Copy the following label and place it above the 

 dragon-flies and damsel-flies in your collection : * 

 Order Odonata (Od-o-na'ta). 

 The Dragon-flies and Damsel-flies. 



Blue dragon-flies knitting 

 To and fro in the sun, 

 With sidelong jerk flitting 

 Sink down on the rushes. 

 And, motionless sitting. 



With level wings-swinging 



On green tasseled rushes, 



To dream in the sun. — Lowell. 



The Structure of Dragon-flies {School Work). 

 — Select for study one of the large dragon-flies col- 

 lected on the last field day, one of those that hold 

 the wings spread out when at rest. If you failed to 



* In writing these labels, underscore the word in capitals with two 

 lines, and the words in italics with a single line. See example, page 42. 



