It lays its eggs in the water, and out of them hatch little six-legged
larvæ that are not troubled by want of appetite. If the winged stone fly
does not eat, its larva does; it is like the other larvæ we know, always
devouring something.

[Illustration]

Yes, Charlie, it feeds on living creatures, greatly relishing the larvæ
of the May flies, or any other luckless insect infants it can capture.

It grows fast and moults several times, and when winter comes it hides
away, only to come forth at the first breath of spring and continue its
eating.

Like other larvæ that live under water, it does its breathing by means
of gills, and these gills are in little tufts just above the base of
each leg.

It lives under stones, which is why it is called the stone fly, and it
slides quickly around a corner when you lift up its stone.

Fish are very fond of it, and hunt it as eagerly as it hunts larvæ.
Since it makes good bait for brook trout, its life is always in danger.
It finishes its growth in early summer, and emerges from its larval
skin as a perfect winged insect.

Yes, indeed, John, you can often find dozens of the cast-off skins of
the stone flies along the brook sides in the month of June.