204 Rev. Mr. KirbyV Account of the Ammophlta^ 



Geer (/), whom I (hall content myfelf with referring to ; but I can- 

 not refift the temptation of transcribing from our great Ray, the 

 very curious account he has given of fome proceedings, of this very 

 in feci, as I fufpecl, which pa (Ted under his own obfervation. Thefe 

 are his words (g) : " Junii 22. an. 1667, e maximis hnjus generi 

 vefpam, fpeciem jam non recordor, erucam viridem feipsa triplo 

 majorem trahentem vidi: quam poftquam, mepraefente et fpeclante, 

 ad unius circiter perticaB noftrae menfurse,i. e. 15^ pedes, deportaffet ; 

 prope orificium cuniculi, quern fibi prins in terra excavaverat, de- 

 pofuit: deinde pilula terrea, qua praediclum orificium obturaverat, 

 remota, ipfa prius in cavern ulam defcendit, et poft parvam inibi 

 moram afcendit iterum, erucamque, quam juxta foramen depofue- 

 rat, apprehendens, fecum in cuniculum devehit, eaque inibi relicla, 

 mox rcdiit ibla, globulifque terreis afmmptis, unam poft alteram in 

 curiiculum devolvit, et per tntervalla pedibus anterioribus rufpando 

 (ut cuniculi aut canes folent) pulverem retrorfum in foramen con- 

 jecit; idemque opus repetit cum pulvere aut pilulis alternating 

 donee cuniculus penitus oppletus elTet, ipfa aliquoties defcendente 

 ad terrain (ut mihi videbatur) deprimendam et denfandam ; femel 

 etiam atque iterum in pinum adftantem evolante, ad refinam forte 

 petendam terras conglutinandae, et operi confolidando. Repleto 

 foramine, et cum terra fuperficie coaequatoy ut aditus amplius non 

 poult difcerni, duo pini folia adjacentia ailumit, et juxta cuniculi 

 orificium depofuit, ad locum (ut verifiable eft) fignandum. Quis 

 hsc non mihi miretur et ftupeat ? Quis hujufmodi opera mere 

 machinac pomt attribuere?" (fj) 



Scopoli, 



(/) De Gecr, torn. ii. p tie ii. Mem. xiv. 

 (g) Raii Hift. Inf. p. 254. 



• it) I have b:en informed that th C ingenious Mr. Curtis has written a hiftory of 'tfcis 



in fed):, 



