174 LITTLE FOLKS 
up the stem of some weeds till he is out of the water, and then — 
you'd never guess what happens ! 
Why, his old skin just splits open, and he pulls himself out, — 
no longer a miserable little worm, but a gorgeous four-winged Cad- 
dice Fly, dressed in a neat suit of brown. And he cares no more 
for the bottom of the pond, and his old straw or shell-house. He 
sails off on the air, a gay, dancing fly. 
You know I told you he was rather greedy when he lived in 
the little house down under the water. Well, I think he was not 
so much to blame for eating as much as he could, after all ; for 
what he had then was the last mouthful he ever ate. 
You can hardly believe it, but you would in a minute, if you 
could see him with the help of a microscope. For with all his four 
gauzy wings, and splendid great eyes, he has no mouth. 
Of course, he hasn't the least desire to eat. He just flies over 
the water, or runs about on it, as, no doubt, you've often seen him, 
for a few hours, and then dies — of old age. 
Before the Mamma Caddice Fly dies, however, she is careful 
to go down under water, and glue her odd little green eggs to some 
water-plant, so that they will be sure to hatch out into soft little 
worms, such as she was herself before she got her wings. 
And these curious little creatures, who have such wonderful 
lives, are not an inch long. 
