178 NEUROPTERA, 
Mother. Some of the species pass 
three, and even five years in the water, or 
rather in the muddy banks of rivers, 
below their surface. The flies, as 
they skim along the water, drop their 
little eggs, which, falling to the bottom, 
are in a few days hatched ; and no sooner 
does the worm come forth, than it creeps 
or swims to the bank, and burrows out a 
hole to live in. This work it performs 
with the more ease, as it has not the 
labour of carrying away the clay or mud, 
which it removes. 
Lucy, What then can these worms 
do with the clay ? 
Mother. They eat it. 
Lucy, That is like the caterpillars, 
who live under the bark of trees, and eat 
out the wood as they form their houses ; 
but to eat mud, seems to be a very sin- 
gular taste indeed. 
Mother. Yes, these circumstances do 
appear very singular at first sight; but we 
find that every part of the creation is so 
wonderfully arranged, that there are few 
