THE CRANE FLY. 
531 
afh-colour ; the wings of a water-colour, having a brown 
longitudinal bar upon their exterior parts.. It is found 
among garden plants. 
The larger tipulae are known by the name of Semp- 
flreffes ; the fmall by that of Culiciferm. The latter, in 
f m e fummer evenings, flutter about the fides of rivers in 
legions. The {brill noife which they make with their 
wings is not very difcernible unlefs they are very near. 
They are fometimes taken for gnats ; but they want their 
probofcis, and their manners are far more inoffenfive. 
The tipulx, before they become inhabitants of the air, 
creep in the form of grubs : Thole of the larger kinds 
dwell in holes of decayed willows, where they change 
into cbryfalids. In that Hate, they have the power of 
breathing through fmall curved holes. The larvae and 
chrvfalids of the fmaller tipulx are generally found in 
water ; they are extreme!}'- various both in colour and 
form : Some have cylindrical tubes through which they 
breathe, even while confiderably immerfed in water, by 
ftretching their points to the furface *. They fwim with 
great nimblenefs, but feldom forfake the hole they have 
dug in the bank of the river. There are others of thefe 
animals that fpin a filken coat, that receives part of their 
long body before their transformation, After thefe ope- 
rations are performed, all of them renounce their reptile 
and aquatic life, having received inflruments of flight 
from the hands of nature. Their frame is then fo weak, 
that a touch is enough to cvufh them. They are fome- 
times of a beautiful green, fometimes coal black ; but the 
moft remarkable are thofe whofe fore legs, though ex- 
tremely long, do not touch the ground, but move in the 
3X2 ait: 
* Reaumur, Tfom. V. Mem. 
