LIBELLULA. 175 
Lucy. I see the distinction ; and, 
mamma^ I will venture to say, that the 
dragon flies are in this order. 
Mother. You are quite right ; the 
Ubellida, or dragon Jiy* is the first ge- 
nus belonging to this order ; it comprises 
several species^ some of which are very 
beautiful. In their larva state they in- 
habit the water. 
Lucy, How many beautiful creatures 
live in the water ! I had no notion that 
flies, which have no wing cases, could have 
lived there. 
■^ Mother, They have no wings, you 
know, when larvae ; they are then disa- 
greeable lookmg animals, of a pale green- 
ish brown colour, with six legs, and 
bearing a resemblance to the larva of the 
dytiscus, but their bodies are more 
slender. They are voracious, and may 
even be called cruel, since they seize on 
every insect they can catch, and mangle 
without tasting them. 
* Plate XIV, 
