Of the louse. 



1 HIS animal, which is fo troublefome to many, efpecially the 

 poor, who have not the means of frequently changing their linen 

 and other apparel, is by fome writers fuppofed to be produced 

 from dirt, fweat, or excrements : but to convince fuch perfons of 

 their miftake herein, I will give the defcription of feveral parts of 

 this creature, as examined by me, the perfeft and wonderful for- 

 mation of which, will clearly prove that thefe animals cannot be 

 produced othervvife than by the ordinary courfe of generation. 



Plate XVI. fig. 1 , A B C D E F G, is the head of the Loufe, in 

 which may not only be {eei\ two very black eyes, but alfo two 

 pcrfedtly made horns with joints, befprinkled with hairs in many 

 places, as fhewn at C D and G F. The letters HIKE indicate 

 only the outline of a part of the Loufe's bodj-. 



When I was preparing this object for the limner, I cut off the 

 head and brealt from the lower part of the body, and placed this 

 fmall part only before the microfcope ; for when I placed the ani- 

 mal befoi'e it entire, it was in fuch continual motion, bending its 

 body backwards and forwards, that it was impoflible to obtain a 

 diftinft view of it, fo as to make a drawing ; and this piece of the 

 body remaining fixed before the microfcope, the horns and feet con- 

 tinued in motion for an hour. 



In the contemplation of feveral lice v/hen placed before the mi- 

 crofcope (and I had plenty of them brought to me for my money), 

 I received great pleafure in contemplating the motion of the inter- 

 nal parts in the head and feet, and even in the oefophagus or gul- 

 let, which in this creature lies partly in the head, and through 

 which the blood it liicks may be ken running very fwiftly : this 



X2 



