They were so quick about it we could not see what happened.

The larval skin burst open and forth leaped the May fly, like a winged
fairy from a prison cell.

They do not come out slowly and wait for their wings to dry like the
dragon fly.

[Illustration]

They spring out all of a sudden and fly away, leaving their cast-off
skin in the pond.

Unless their motions were quick they might be snapped up by the fish
that are so fond of them.

But though they seem to emerge thus quickly into perfect winged May
flies, they are not quite done with infancy. They are still wrapped
about by a very delicate skin that they have to get rid of. So they fly
to a bush near the water and stay a little while until this skin splits
and comes off, and they are free.

In spite of their quick motions when they spring from the water, many of
the May flies fall back into it and are caught by the fish.

[Illustration here, as the text is broken]

It is said that the trout become fat and good-flavored when the May
flies emerge, they eat so many of them. And what the fish do not catch