It is small, but so pretty.

It is bright blue and shines as though it had been polished.

Sometimes birds catch these smaller dragon flies, though birds, as a
rule, are not fond of any of them.

They are so hard and their wings are so stiff I should think a bird
might almost as well swallow nails.

I am sure no bird could swallow one of the big ones, wings and all!

But frogs can.

A frog will try to swallow almost anything it can catch, and it watches
for the dragon flies when they come to lay their eggs in the water.

Suddenly it jumps out, and away goes poor dragon fly into that great
wide frog-mouth.

[Illustration]

Now look at the legs of the dragon fly. It has six.

Every dragon fly has six legs.

They are rather short and small for so large an insect, but that is
because it does not need large, strong legs.

You never saw a dragon fly dig a hole, or run, or even walk, did you?