The Natural History of Selborne

On every sunny day the winter thro’, clouds of insects usually called gnats (I suppose tipulae & empedes) appear sporting & dancing over the tops of the ever-green trees in the shrubbery, & frisking about as if the business of generation was still going on.  Hence it appears that these diptera (which by their sizes appear to be of different species) are not subject to a torpid state in the winter, as most winged Insects are.  At night, & in frosty weather, & when it rains & blows they seem to retire into those trees.  They often are out in a fog.