"In this manner all the flat-bodied Libellas copulate and lay their eggs; the others, which are formed with slender bodies, behave very differently in every circumstance; for in each of those species, when the male has singled out its mate, he flies to her, and by means of two little bony substances placed at the end of his tail, issuing on each side, and composing a kind of forceps, he fixes himself to the forepart of her neck, close behind the head, the female discovering no sign of fear while he is performing this action; having fixed himself in this position, he remains there several days, sometimes appearing with his body quite erect, at other times bending himself, and settling with his legs on the same substance she may happen to alight on, without ever quitting his hold; but flies through the air, thus united, wherever the fancy or inclination of the female disposes her to go. This behaviour we must consider as a prelude to copulation, for that is not performed till a considerable time after they are thus united; and therefore I look on it as a wooing, or act of courtship in the male. But having remained a sufficient time in this manner, that is, till the female is disposed to receive him, she bends her tail round to that part where I described the organ of generation to be placed in the male, and, being still held fast by the neck, in that attitude they perform the mandate of nature. This action being over, that in the smaller kinds takes up a considerable space of time (for I have known them in this posture above eighteen hours) the female soon after begins to lay her eggs. She flies to some rush, reed, or other plant growing in the water, and settling close to its edge dips {115}the end of her tail a little below the surface, and fixes her eggs to the rush or substance she is settled on; which, by means of the glutinous matter all eggs of this kind are surrounded with, adheres sufficiently fast, and there remains till the heat of the sun has brought the young animal into life; which immediately on quitting its confinement sinks to the bottom, or repairs to the place where nature directs it to seek out its food.