Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-07
a REGULAR WHAT'S.

G.HClOStu pltdSe ullu ptClHlGu Oh al
insect | captured him in my stable, but
| do not infer from this fact that he is
hOrsefy; l rather think that he is Il
dragon fly or a fighting editor though |
am not entirely sure which. Anyhow.
what is he good for? Please give his
technique" through THE GAZETTE.
Fort Worth, Tex. ID. H. MCADAMs.
We have him to hand all right, and he is
q jimdandy sure enough. There We're no
flies on him" so far as related to fighting
qualities. So well was he developed in
fighting peculiarities that before he would
submit to a quiet editorial interview we
were forced to set 'em up" to the extent
of drop of chlorform. But he is not a
dragon fly neither is he fighting
editor" In his fighting qualities he meant
business, which is more than can always
be said of the-well; we'd best not mention
it. being ourself member of the editorial
fraternity.
From tip of nose Gf nose it isl back to
tip of wings, this insect what-is-it, meas
ures about three good English inches.
Wings about the color of those of an ordi-
nary horsehy, and folding back on the horse
mates, this does not settle it that he is n
horsefiy Above the junction of the wings
with the body comes a long and slender
waist-like unto that of a variety ballet girl,
but lack of evidence convicting him of pos
essing dancing proclivities renders it impos-
sible for science to settle upon him as being
one OF these. Above this slender waist
comes q head like an iron founders trip
hammer but all the attendant circumstances
go to show that he is no rrip-hammer
On either side of the trip-hammerish head
is 4 great eye, reminding one somewhat of
the bulls eye in a policeman lantern, but
there is no positive proof to make it appear
that he has ever figured rs an implement of
the police force. From points immediately
above the eyes, reaching out right and left,
are two long and flexible attachments like
those extending from the mouth of cat
fish. Pointing forward from the head are
two long and sharp hooks coming together
at the points like pair of ice-tongues, but
every ice man in Fort Worth would
promptly repudiate the idea of his beng i
pair of ice-tongues.
The insect we have thus been attempting
to describe is known for common as a
'hellgranmite. Our correspondent may
have thought something like that of it
when he found it in his stable, possibly
1--WE beg PARDON the words '.of
an insect for the last two syllables as
above written. Nevertheless, hellgrammite
is the correct common name, and COrydalis
cornuUus is the scientific name. 1t classes
with the water insects and seldom ventures
far away from the water unless on special |
business, as one might suppose Is not an
overly uncommon insect, but being strictly |
nocturnal in its movements, and lying con- |
cealed away during the day, one seldom |
sees it. And this may lead to conjectures as |
stable Some may be foolish enough to con- |
dude that it was there for the purpose of |
stealing one of his horses, and being frus-
rated in its efforts to pick the lock for the |
purpose of getting the horse out until day
light had appeared, it made the fatal mis-
AXE of lying over to resume the work in
he shades of the next night.
The young of the hellgrammite passes
through its different larval stages in the
water, like the mosquito. It's larva
5 large, legged and horny ami
nal about the size of a mans
title finger, and as long. Boys often find
t by turning up stones in shallow
reeks, and this leads US to the proper
lace for answering the question as to what
t is good for: it is good for fish bait If it
5 good for anything else we are, as yet, not
q possession of the facts.