THE AQUARIUM. 



ingleaf or other available platform, and with the last pair 

 of legs crossed to form an angle, she lays her eggs between 

 them. They adhere together, and when all are laid 

 assume the form of a little boat. Each of these boats 

 contains about 300 eggs, and floats safely, in spite of the 

 breezes that agitate the waters. When the eggs hatch 

 the resultant larvae find themselves in the element proper 

 for their early life. They are exceedingly strange-looking 

 insects, and wriggle through the water with considerable 

 activity, occasionally coming to the surface for air. A 

 remarkable point of structure here comes into play. 

 Near the tail end of the insect a tube is given off at a 

 considerable angle. When the larva wishes a supply of 

 fresh air it seeks the surface, and there floats, head down- 

 wards, with this tube protruding into the upper air. 

 Through this tube the fresh supply is taken in. The 

 pupa is as grotesque as the larva, and progresses through 

 the water by coiling itself up and suddenly uncoiling. 

 When arrived at the proper stage, the pupa floats along 

 the surface on its back, and by an effort splits its skin 

 sufficiently to enable the perfect insect to escape. By 

 this process the pupa-skin becomes converted into a 

 boat, of the most fragile nature, and it requires very 

 careful management on the part of the gnat to prevent a 

 wreck. After its wings have sufficiently expanded and 

 acquired the requisite degree of hardness, it essays to try 

 them in flight. The empty pupa-skin may now be 

 secured by carefully slipping a piece of clean white paper, 

 or card, beneath it and gently raising it out of the water. 

 If allowed to dry on the paper it will need no other 

 preparation. 



Some of the Water-bugs might also be admitted to 

 our insect pond. The well-known Water Boatman 



