1">2 TMK < ANAKIAN KNTO>U»L<K»IHT. 



In ihe lime of Redi btlief in ihe origin of insects and most of the 

 lower animals by spontaneous generation was almost universal, but he 

 proved by a series of experiments recorded here that flies, bees and other 

 insects are hatched as larvie from fertilized eggs, and that the larvae 

 develop into the mature insects. After discussing the beliefs of the 

 ancient (Jreek philosophers and others whose authority held weight in 

 his time, Redi describes a number of experiments, by which he 

 demonstrated that the maggots which appear in decaying meat change into 

 pupre ("eggs"), and that from these pupie flics emerge. He also 

 discovered the hatching of maggots from true eggs, and determined that 

 these eggs were deposited by flies. The proof that the maggots and flies 

 were not generated from the meat, but always from eggs deposited by flies 

 of the same kind, was furnished by the discovery that meat j)]aced in closed 

 vessels or underground did not become wormy. Hy using the flesh of 

 many kinds of animals in his experiments, he also showed that the species 

 of flies obtained were inde|)endent of the kind of meal in which they were 

 bred. Cheese-flies and fruit-flies were also proved to develop from larvae 

 hatched from eggs. 



The habits and life-histories of many other animals are discussed, and 

 the absurdity of the current beliefs concerning their origin exposed. Tlie 

 widespread beliefs in the origin of bees from the decayed flesh of bulls, 

 wasps and hornets from horses, scorpions from the dead bodies of their 

 own kind, spiders from flying seeds, and filth, etc., are all shown to be 

 myths and old wives' tales. 



Special attention is given to the consideraiiun of gall insects and 

 jiarasites of various kinds. I'nfortunately, although Redi attempted to 

 disprove the generation of these forms from the tissues of their hosts, his 

 investigations were not complete enough to demonstrate his idea, and only 

 led him back to his former trust in the teachings of Aristotle. 



The translation is written in a clear, simple style, and includes in ihe 

 introduction a short life of Redi and a bibliography. The illustrations, 

 most of which represent various species of .Mallophaga and parasitic 

 Hemiplera, are rejjroduclions of those in the Italian edition, and exhibit 

 a considerable degree of accuracy. 



One error may be noticed here. The insect called by Redi 

 " Cavalhicci " is not a Mantis but a I'hasjuid, probably liitci/Ius Rossii 

 Fab. This is evident from the illustrations. 



Mailed April 12th, loio. 



