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of feveral worms or maggots, that I had two which acquired their 

 compleat portions of nouriihment, and began to fpin their webs; but, 

 becaufe the bottom of the glafs wherein they lay was flopped with 

 a fmooth piece of cork, and that prefTcd in fo tight that they could 

 not penetrate it, they could not completely cover themfelves with 

 the web. For in like manner as filk worms are placed in a paper 

 of a round tapering form, called a cup, in order that it may fix its 

 web on every fide, and be completely covered by it ; fo the worm 

 produced from the Flea's egg, when come to its full fizc, endea- 

 vours to creep into cracks, holes, or corners, in order to inclofe it- 

 felf on every fide with its web. 



At feveral times I contrived to prevent the maggots enclofing 

 themfelves completely in their webs, in order that I might the more 

 eafily difcern their alteration into a chryfalis or aurelia. But how 

 often foever I viewed them after they had ceafed eating, and their 

 change approached, I could only perceive that they placed them- 

 felves in the fame pofition as they had lain in the egg. But exa- 

 mining them in the afternoon in this porture, I found upon look- 

 ing at them three hours afterwards, that one of them was changed 

 into a chryfalis. Upon viewing another of them through the mi- 

 crolcope, I perceived a mite upon its body, where it remained fome 

 time, and another larger mite running about the glafs, whereupon 

 I concluded, that at the time thofe worms are in their rtate of 

 change and unable to defend themfelves, the mites will feize and 

 feed upon them. After this worm had thus laid for fome hours, I 

 faw that its body was somewhat contracted, whereupon placing it 

 before the microfcope, I perceived three holes pierced in its body, 

 part of its Ikin llripped otf, and the body of it beginning to dry 

 away. 



Hereupon I began to confider, that this web or covering fpun by 

 the Flea's worm or maggot is necessary to it, and that without it, 

 thofe creatures could not eafily be propagated ; for there are fel- 

 dom any fragments of food, or the bodies of fmall animals lyinf 



