Ephemera, the May-Fly. 149 



What numbers of May-flies in their imperfect condition fall 

 victims to the hunger of trout and other fish ! Being heavy 

 fliers in their sub-imago state — for their wings are scarcely dry, 

 and their muscles unequal as yet to any great exertion — they 

 are constantly dropping for a second or two on the water, and 

 are then sucked down the throat of some trout, roach, or dace 

 that is constantly on the look-out. 



Let us now follow the green- drake to the spot where he has 

 rested. Here he will remain for the space of two or three 

 hours, perhaps, and then will be introduced to the world of life 

 as an adult and perfect insect. Look at this blade of grass. 

 What is the shadowy form that clings to it ? It is a delicate 

 membrane, thin and light as possible, which the slightest 

 breath will blow away. Notice the split across the back, through 

 which the former tenant left his abode. It is the cast-off skin 

 of the green-drake, now metamorphosed into a creature more 

 active than Harlequin or Columbine, — the male into a dark- 

 brown insect, with clear and gauze-like wings, the female into 

 a beautiful creature, with body marbled white and brown. 

 How different now is the mode of flight ! But, alas, " out of 

 the frying-pan into the fire." The flies are partly safe from 

 Scylla, but they fall into Charybdis ; for birds of various kinds, 

 swallows, swifts, tomtits, larks, chaffinches, and a host of other 

 feathered enemies, are on the watch, seeking the dainty morsels 

 to feed themselves or their hungry young. See now how 

 curious is the dance they practise. Up and down, up and down ! 

 with head erect, and bodies prettily curving upwards, dancing 

 in the sun, which now shines out from beneath the clouds — 

 merrily, merrily! Truly an Ephemera's life has many "ups 

 and downs," and the insects doubtless enjoy them immensely. 



But we must here notice that it is the males that execute 

 this particular style of dance, rising up sometimes ten or twelve 

 feet, then dropping down suddenly the same distance. At least 

 I am inclined to think this dancing is confined to the gentlemen ; 

 for I have never yet detected a lady, in her white and marble 

 dress, amongst the company. The flight of her ladyship differs 

 considerably now from what it was before she cast her last gar- 

 ments away. No longer a clumsy, helpless mode of flying, sus- 

 tained with much difficulty -, but a swift, strong flight, not unlike 

 that of the dragon-fly, is that of the perfect Ephemeral imago. 

 Now high in the air, now sailing along close to the surface of the 

 water, ever and anon dipping gently into it, she is evidently busy 

 discharging some important duty. She is laying her eggs, by 

 little packets at a time, first in one place and then in another. 

 The small oval eggs sink quickly down to the bottom, and 

 attach themselves to submerged weeds and stones. This is 

 the sole object of her life, now that she has become a mother ; 



