NORTH AMERICA. 79 
clouds of innumerable millions, fwarmi-rig and wan- 
toning in the ftill air, gradually drawing near the 
river. They defend upon its furface, and there 
quickly end their day, after committing their eggs 
to the deep ^ which being for a little while toiled 
about, enveloped in a vifcid fcum, are hatched, and 
the little Larva defend into their fecure and dark 
habitation, in the oozy bed beneath, where they 
remain gradually increafing in hze, until the re- 
turning fpring : they then change to a Nymph, when 
the genial heat brings them, as it were, into exig- 
ence, and they again arife into the world. This 
My feems to be delicious food for birds, frogs, and 
Mlh. In the morning, when they arife* and in the 
evening, when they return, the tumult is great in- 
deed* and the furface of the water along fhore 
broken into bubbles* or fpirted into the air, by the 
contending aquatic tribes ; and fuch is the avidity 
of the fifh and frogs, that they fpring into the air 
after this delicious prey. 
Early in the evening, after a pleafant day’s voy- 
age, I made a convenient and fafe harbour, in a little 
lagoon* under an elevated bank, on the Weft fhore 
of the river ; where I fhall entreat the reader’s pa- 
tience, whilft we behold the clofmg fcene of the 
fhort-lived Ephemera, and communicate to each 
other the reflections which fo Angular an exhibition 
might rationally fuggeft to an inquifitive mind. 
Our place of obfervation is happily fituated under 
the protecting fhade of majeftic Live Oaks, glo- 
rious Magnolias* and the fragrant Orange, open to 
the view of the great river and ftill waters of the 
lagoon juft before us. 
At the cool eve’s approach* the fweet enchanting 
melody 
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