THE DRAGON FLV. 
471 
which Hides from thefe eggs, at (lift feeds on final! aqua- 
tic infects, gradually acquiring more voracity and bold- 
nefs in the purfuit, in proportion as its ftrength increafes, 
at length it becomes fo inUtiable that it is faid to devour 
even thofe of its own kind f. 
The form and colour of thefe worms are extremely 
difg lifting : They are fuppofed to have gills like fillies ; 
and beneath the head is placed an inftrument excellently 
adapted far feizing and holding their prey. It is furnilh- 
ed with a forceps at the end, and can be advanced or 
drawn back with a!) the agility of the human hand. 
The caterpillar remains in the fame ilate for nearly 
twelve months before it has attained to its full fize ; 
When the period of transformation has arrived, the worm 
repairs to the margin of its pond in quell of a convenient 
place of abode during the feafon of its inaction. It there 
attaches itfelf to a plant or piece of dry wood and the 
ikin, which has gradually become parched and brittle, at 
laft fplits oppofite to the upper part of the thorax. 
Through this aperture the winged in feci, quickly pufties 
its way ; and being thus extricated from confinement, be- 
gins to expand its wings, to flutter, and finally to hunch 
into the air, with that gracefulnefs and eafe peculiar to 
this majeftic tribe iji. 
No particular time feems appointed for the metanaor- 
phofis of the libellula into its winged Hate ; the different 
fpecies are continually emerging from the water from 
■dpril to Auguft : For as the times of copulation are va- 
rious and frequent during the whole fummer, fo the lar- 
or caterpillars are found of different lizes, according 
to their age. The fmaller kinds, however, generally 
make 
'f Harris Expofit. p. 51. 
\ Earbut, ubi fupra. 
