Of the mite. 



1 HE Mite is the fmalleft animal that I have ever obferved about 

 our houfos, but in every kind of dried provifion, fuch as ham, 

 bacon, and dried fifli, they are almoft always to be found. 



In reflecting upon this animal, I was defirous to know the na- 

 ture of their propagation, and how long time their eggs would 

 take from their being firll laid to their being hatched, and alfo in 

 what Ipace of time a young Mite will come to its full growth. 



In catching thefe creatures, I found they were endued with a 

 very quick fight, for after I had once touched them with the inftru- 

 ment with which I caught them, they afterwards avoided it in a 

 manner which furprifed me. 



I had often feen the eggs of Mites in cheefe and other fubftances, 

 and I now proceeded, by the help of a magnifier, to open fome of 

 the largefl: mites, which I judged to be females, and viewing them 

 by a microfcope of ftill deeper magnifying power, I faw at three 

 feveral times, not only the eggs, but alfo through the fhells of 

 them I perceived their infide to be compofed of greater and fmaller 

 globules, exadly fimilar to thofe in the yolks of hen's and other 

 birds' eggs, only with this diiFerence, that the globules in the yolk 

 of a hen's egg are each of them larger than the entire egg of a 

 Mite. 



I took a glafs tube, into which I put a piece of bifcuit and five 

 or fix Mites, and then, by the help of fire, I clofed the orifice of 

 the tube, fo that no egg laid by the Mites could drop out ; the firfl 

 day of their confinement I found one egg, the next four, and the 

 third fix eggs, and one of the Mites dead : the fourth day I 

 counted as many as twenty eggs, and afterwards fiill more, but 



