aT NATURAL HISTORY, 
Cea Ae =P: XIV. 
OF FLYING INSECTS OF THE TIPULA KIND. 
s (From Brooxgs.) 
Y Tipula was formerly underftood nothing but the Water Spidet's 
of which they knew only two forts; but now the catalogue is 
greatly enlarged, and it is plain from Linneus, that other forts aré 
meant, befides thofe that frequent the water; though he mentions on- 
ly feven, namely, the variegated Tipula, that of roots, that‘in the 
fhape of a Gnat, the febrile Tipula, that of the Afparagus, that with 
bended wings, and that of the Juniper-tree. He makes the charatter- 
iftic of this kind to be the mouth, furnifhed with crooked and jointed 
eelers. — ; ; 
That defcribed by Moufet, is almoft in the fhape of a fpider, with 
an oblong flender body, and four legs fixed to the breaft. Near the 
mouth there are two arms, which fome take to be feelers, and are 
moft probably really fo; for this infect makes no ufe of them when it 
tuns, and they are twice as fhort as the other feet. It has four very 
weak wings, which feem to be of no great ufe in flying, though they 
are for leaping: they are fhorter than the body, and the upper pair 
are thicker and broader than the lower, and are of a dutky blackifh 
colour: the lower wings are lefs, more flender, and of a filver colour: 
they are often feen leaping-upon the water, but fo lightly, that they 
feem to make no impreffion on it at all; however they are not con- 
‘tantly in motion, but by farts. It does not dive into the water, un- 
lefs forced thereto, and then their bodies do not feem to be at all wet 
with it. It is to be met with in ftanding waters, where there is but 
Hittle wind throughout the fummer. It is fometimes met with in ri- 
vers, efpecially near the banks, and’under the thade of fome tree, as 
for inftance the willow ; and there are generally many of them tegether- 
There is an odd fort of a Worm or Caterpillar, which was firft takes 
motice of by Mairan, in the memoirs of the Academy of Sciences for 
1717, which was afterwards more fully defcribed by Frych. Tt is found 
im holes near the furface of the ground, about nine inches in lengths 
and in the lower parts the Caterpillar is concealed in a houfe of its owf! 
fpinning, and clofed at the mouth with the fame fort of thread of whiclt 
the neft is compofed. It is of a brownith black colour, with yellow 
feet, and a fhield near the necks as alfo another of a black colour on 
the tail, with a very fhining edge. It can hide its head in that about 
the neck, almoft as far as the forehead; and it has twenty folds of 
furrows on the back, whereas others have generally but ten. It is pro’ 
vided with fo great a number, that it may more readily creep int® 
- holes, by moving its body more nimbly : this Caterpillar does not make 
thefe holes for the fake of food, for there is nothing fit for them there's 
and if there was, they might get at it without making thefe holes, be- 
eaufe with the head and fore-feet it can quickly throw the earth on eac# 
‘fide, fo as to be able to hide itfelf in a very fhort time. Nor are thel@ 
holes made for its more fpeedy return, much le{s for the fake of ba 
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