370 MOTIONS OF INSECTS. 
peared was no very pleasant office; for’ he who filled it, 
in a few seconds had his dress covered with the insects, 
which rushed from all quarters to him. The light of 
the flambeau exhibited a spectacle which enchanted 
every one that beheld it. All that were present, even 
the most ignorant and stupid of his domestics, were 
never satisfied with looking at it. Never had any armil- 
lary sphere so many zones, as there were here circles, 
which had the light for their centre. ‘There was an in- 
finity of them—crossing each other in all directions, and 
of every imaginable inclination—all of which were more 
or less eccentric. Each zone was composed of an un- 
broken string of Ephemeree, resembling a piece of silver 
lace formed into a circle deeply notched, and consisting 
of equal triangles placed end to end (so that one of the 
angles of that which followed touched the middle of the. 
base of that which preceded), and moving with asto- 
nishing rapidity. The wings of the flies, which was all 
of them that could then be distinguished, formed this 
appearance. ach of these creatures, after having de- 
scribed one or two orbits, fell upon the earth or into the 
water, but not in consequence of being burned?. Reau- 
mur was one of the most accurate of observers; and yet 
I suspect that the appearance he describes was a visual 
deception, and for the following reason. I was once 
walking in the day-time with a friend®, when our at- 
tention was caught by myriads of small flies, which were 
dancing under every tree;—viewed in a certain light 
* Reaum. vi. 484. ¢. xlv. f. 7. 
» The persons observing the appearance here related were the 
authors of this work. 
