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and a pair of them generally swim together its shape is flat and circular in the front, growlug gradually smaller towards the hind part, where it terminates in a long, taper, pointed tail. Its colour is a yellowish brown; and its eyes, contrary to their usual situation in the
other species, of being near together, in this are placed very distant from each other. 'They are formed like a half moon, and are fixed on a kind of pedicle, under the covert of a thick shell, and, like the eyes of (lragonthes and SOfl1C other insects, are composed of innumcra ble globules, each, probably, possessing the power of a single eye.
The Monoculi arc both oviparous and vivi parous. They live in stagnated waters; where some species feed upon plants, whilst others are nourished with the blood of fishes, to which they firmly attach themselves. They swim, or rather spring upon the surfiice of the water, with a very nimble motion, and are never at rest, whether rising to the top, or sinking to the bottom of the pool. When the droughts of summer have dried up the water, they lie i•n a
torpid state till the renewal of their favourite
element restores them to life and enjoyment.
The Monoculus puiex, or Waterfiea, abounds so greatly, as sometimes to discolour the water. rillOugIl not longer than the tenth of an inch,
its
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