GYR1NUS. 19 



and take to the water ; they are of a dirty white 

 or rather greyish colour, have a long cylindric 

 body, six legs, and at first sight resemble the 

 Scolopendra. About the beginning of August, 

 the larvae leave the water, and climb up the 

 large leaves of the reeds which grow on the 

 banks ; there they prepare for their transforma- 

 tion, by covering themselves with a matter like 

 grey paper, which they spin from their bodies; 

 and in this case they remain, in the chrysalis 

 state, till near the end of the same month, when 

 they issue from their temporary tomb, and in- 

 stantly leap into the water. That principle of 

 mutual destruction, which exists throughout all 

 the branches of animated nature, leads the Ich- 

 neumon to lay its eggs near the chrysalis- of 

 the Glimmerchaffer, that its larvae may not be 

 in want of food as soon as they appear. 



SPECIFICATION. 



Gyrinus natator. Gy. substriatus. Linn. Syst: 

 Nat. l.p. 567. Gmel. p. 1611. Fair. Syst. Ent. 1. 

 p. 234. Spec. Ins. l.p. 297. Mant. Ins. 1. p. 194. 

 HoeseL Ins. 3. pi. Sl.f. 1 — 6. 



