( 1<54 ) 



motion in the gullet was feen in a clear liquor pafling upwards and 

 downwards alternately. 



J 



At E is a protuberance fomewhat like a nipple, which, when the 

 Loufe is preparing to take its food, itprojeds further, and from the 

 extremity of it thrufts out its * piercer, in order to fuck the blood. 

 This piercer, or rather the piercer with its flieath (for there are 

 two of them, one inclofed in the other), I have often taken out of 

 the Loufe's head, but it was not till after repeated trials, by reafon 

 of their exceflive flendernefs, that I could place them before the 

 microfcope, lb as to give a drawing of them both. 



Fig. 2, L O P, is part of the Loufe's head ; at O is fliewn the 

 protuberance, which I have likened to a nipple, as it appears when 

 the piercers are protruded out of it : O jNI is the larger piercer, or, 

 more properly fpeaking, the flieath which contains the piercer 

 MN, both of which are drawn into the head when not in ufe. At 

 N, the extremity of this piercer appears a little fpht or divided. 

 Fig. 3, K L, is this llieath taken out of the head, and L M is the 

 exceflively flender piercer it contains, protruding beyond the extre- 

 mity of the flieath. 



When the Loufe is about to feek its food from the human body, 

 it extends the nipple or fnout I have defcribed, from its head, and 

 from it protrudes the fheath of the piercer ; and lallly, the piercer 

 itfelf, which being introduced betv%'een thofe fmall fcales with 

 which the furface of the Ikin is covered, it pierces the blood-vel- 

 fels lying underneath and then fucks the blood, which is its nou- 

 rifliment ; and in doing this, it places itfelf upon its head, the more 

 readily to introduce the piercer into the body. The blood which the 

 animal fucks, may be feen pafling with a very fwift motion into its 

 body, and it is a curious fpeelacle to behold the rapid motion with 



* The Dtifch word is Angela wliich the Latin verfion renders ylculeuf, both words lignif)ing 

 a fting: but the Tranflaior has adopted the word piercer, as more applicable to the <\tc 

 which this part of the animal is defined for : bcfides, we fliall lee prefcnfly, that the ftif!;; 

 •f the Loufe, properly fo calledj is placed iu a difl'trcut p.irt ol its body. 



