30 



" Immediately after I had relieved the fish from the insects, I placed one under 

 my microscope ; and no longer wondered at the difficulty I experienced in remov- 

 ing them from the fish. On each side of the throat is fixed a large hollow tube, 

 capable of expansion and contraction to a considerable degree, imparting a won- 

 derful power of adhesion, which enables the insect, notwithstanding its diminu- 

 tive size and delicate formation, to hold so firmly to any substance as to require 

 some force to remove it. The mouths of these tubes are very beautifully formed, 

 being fringed all round with hair, folding over the edge or lip. Independent of 

 these extraordinary tubes, they are provided with eighteen strongly-formed hooks, 

 no doubt wonderfully provided to resist the violent agitation of the water. On the 

 top of what I consider to be the antennae, is placed a very long, sharp, 

 pointed hook, apparently of a horny substance, very suddenly bent 

 downwards. The horn seems to be placed in a socket or band, which 

 the insect has the power of turning round at pleasure. In the middle 

 of the horn, and on the band or socket, are likewise placed two more short, strong 

 hooks ; two between the horns, two much lower on the breast, below which are 

 two more. Extending from each side the body (independent of four forked legs, 

 or paddles, which are thickly fringed with strong hairs) is an arm, or fore-leg, 

 with three socket joints, very thick set towards the body ; on the elbow of which 

 are placed three of the same powerful hooks as above 

 stated. The legs, or paddles, are kept in constant 

 movement ; the body terminates in an elegantly form- 

 ^v^s' ed tail, partially divided. The eyes are large, promi- 

 nent, and very beautiful, situated on each side the horns, arranged in rows, with 

 a distinct division between each row, apparently as though they were a 

 number of brilliant globes, or precious stones, floating in jelly, and en- [<? oo°J 

 closed in a transparent skin : they have likewise two pairs of palpi, or \o o1°oJ 

 feelers, one behind, the other below, the horns, which I should not 

 have discovered, from their being so extremely delicate and transparent, had I not 

 had such frequent opportunities of observing the insect in a living state, under va- 

 rious different powers. The mouth is a long tube, extending from the centre of 

 the forehead almost down to the breast, capable of expanding and contracting to a 

 considerable length, in the form of a proboscis. The back of the insect has the 

 appearance, in form, of the Cassida, or Tortoise Beetle, only of a soft flexible tex- 

 ture, without any division, or wings : on the under side of which it is wonderfully 

 provided with numerous clusters (particularly round the head, tubes, &c.) of 

 strong, but small, hooks, perfectly formed, which might, at first, be mistaken for 

 hairs, until submitted to a strong magnifying power. 



" After taking the insects from the fish, I left them in the same water till the 

 following morning, by which time it had become quite offensive ; before changing 

 it I attentively, and for some length of time, observed their different actions ; and 



