302 Mr. Clark'* Obfervaiions on the Genus OeJIrus, 



The lips at the obtufc end of the bot feem defigned to prevent 

 the gaftrick and other fecrctions of the ftomach, aiTilte.d by its heat 

 and action, from injuring the cartilaginous plate ; for we do not 

 difcovcr any apparatus of this nature to cover thefe plates in the 

 CE. Ov/'s or Bo vi j, which, though allied in all other refpects, are not 

 expofed to thefe circumftances. 



Thefe lips are found, on opening them, to be mere membranous 

 bags, filled with a watery fluid ; a convincing proof they do not form 

 any part in the future infect, and are merely for the convenience of 

 the larva. 



Refpiration appears to be the office of thefe air canals, which are 

 the lungs of the larva ; and, confidered in this point of view, they 

 are much larger than the refpiratory organs of any other animal : 

 which is the more extraordinary, if the purpofe of refpiration in 

 animals be the production of animal heat, as the later chemifts 

 fuppofe, this being altogether unneceffary to larva that are fupplied 

 fo abundantly with it from the high temperature of their refidence 

 in the living ftomach, and have a greater fhare of it than is pro- 

 bably pleafant to them; nor can thefe organs be formed for the 

 purpofes of the future infect, fmce they cannot be detected in either 

 the chryfalh or fly. 



I have fince found that air veffels of a fimilar ftructure may be 

 detected in the larva of moft infects, as well in thofe that are not 

 expofed to any extraordinary temperature as thole that are; they are 

 therefore not conit.ruct.ed with any view to thefe Angular fituations. 



From the fuperior magnitude of the refpiratory organs in moft 

 of the larva of infects, one fhould be almoft led to imagine that the 

 refpiration in all animals was more intimately connected with the 

 reception of food, and the converting it into living matter, than any 

 other defign. 4 



In 



