the Chryfalid to the Volatile State. 355 



tiling to the top of the water, as if the latent fire, by kindling, 

 had diminifhed the fpecific gravity of the body, (which in 

 length was about four lines_, and in diameter one line); foon 

 after I faw another, and another yet appeared, until there 

 might be about twenty of them, all formed alike ; i. e. large 

 toward the head, with a tuft of fine white hair iffuing from 

 each fide of the apparent mouth. The fight being novel I 

 took my ftation, and a few good magnifiers to watch the 

 event $ for, feeing fo vigorous an exertion in each one, and 

 in fo uncommon and frantic a way, as the delicacy of their 

 mufcles did not feem equal to fupport long, I anticipated a 

 cataftrophe of fome kind or other. I had the curiofity to 

 touch feveral to try what effe& it would produce, and found 

 it a ftimulus adding new energy to their already amazing 

 agility. They continued thefe violent contortions and dila- 

 tations until they appeared quite fpent \ in the laft effort, how- 

 ever, and after a fudden contraction, and as fudden an ex- 

 panfion, with a kind of wriggle (they have no fins), they 

 would come quite to the furface of the water, and, an interline 

 motion taking place, a cleft began to appear upon the back 

 part of the head of this little amphibious creature, out of 

 which, to my great aftonifhment, I faw emerging, as if pro- 

 pelled by an inward fcrew, a creature quite of another ele- 

 ment, form, and quality ; in a word, a gregarious fly, a gnat ; 

 from which I judged, (notimderftandingthemetempfychofis) 

 that the ova muft have been depolited in the mud, and that 

 in this bed, under the agency of the parent fly, or perhaps 

 nature, the nidification was performed while the incubation 

 was perfected by the water and fun ; the laft of which had 

 now beftowed its quickening influence, and revived them from 

 their torpid ftate. The confines of their prifon, wherein both 

 wings and legs were contracted and bound down to their 

 bodies in a very fmall compafs, (as I have ftated above) be- 

 ginning to rend afunder, at firft appeared their beautiful an- 

 tennae (if males), or more beautiful plumage (if females) ; next 

 the two palpi or feelers, and as many bold and reticulated eyes, 

 whofe prominence is fuch as to give the pofleflbr the privi- 

 lege of commanding near a whole fphere at one viewj with 

 this ocular advantage, together with wings and fling, com- 

 pen Cation is pretty well made for the weaknefsof their bodies, 

 and the brevity of life, at leaft, foas to fet them upon a level 

 with more promifing creatures ; the head being now wholly 

 advanced, the body next appears with wings and legs, which 

 heretofore were bound up in a kind of fwathing, but now re- 

 joice to unfold themfelves and a& according to their different 

 functions, the legs as fupporters, the wings as fails, which 



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