FLY. 467 
in the air. Thus do these little creatures contrive 
to make two elements contribute to their welfare at 
the same moment. 
These larvae after a certain time pass through a 
second state, and become very beautiful flies, with 
four longitudinal black lines upon a bright yellow 
thorax. These flies lay their eggs close to the 
water, and in a situation where they are constantly 
supplied with a sufficient degree of moisture, with- 
out being removed from the influence of the sun. 
Here they are hatched; and the young, immediately 
upon their exclusion, enter that element in which 
they are destined to pass so great a share of their 
lives. 
The Musca pendula is a curious example of a 
very extensive genus, containing no less, according 
to Gmelin, than three hundred and eighty-seven 
species. This vast tribe ranks very low in the scale 
of animated beings, and yet each individual con- 
tains parts which are worthy of observation. I he 
common fly will serve as well as any, to prove that 
Nature has not been deficient in providing these 
apparently insignificant creatures with every requi- 
site for their existence during the short time they 
are allowed to live. Weak and contemptible as we 
may think this insect, it is furnished with parts that 
are highly curious, and only require the assistance 
of a microscope to raise our admiration of what we 
before looked upon with contempt. It has excel- 
lent eyes ; it has antennae or horns, wings, claws, 
sponges, and a trunk. 
2 H 2 
