( igi ) 



'' of thofe followers of Ariftotle, who by their writings endeavour 

 ■' to darken the truth, and to perfuade us that flying infects or any 

 " other aniiTjalcuIes can be produced from corruption !" 



There is another fpccies of minute t'ly, which I believe lays its 

 eggs in ditches, from which maggots are hatched, and thpfe niagr 

 gets again become flies of the fame kind. I have not thought it 

 worth while to purfue a minute inveftigation, as to its being fo pro- 

 pagated, becaufe the fadl is, I think, already fufficiently efta- 

 blifhed ; but the feathers on its head, its eyes, horns, and wings, 

 when vievyed by the micro fcope, are fo wonderful to behold, that 

 I have caufed drawings to be made of fomc parts of it. 



Fig. 25, is the Fly of the fize it appears to the naked eye. 



Fig. 2(5, is one of the wings viewed by the micro fcope. 



Now, if we confider, not only the multitudes of hairs, as 

 well round the edges of the wing, as in the other honey parts, 

 xvhich give it ftrength ; and alfo the incredible number of very mi-r 

 nute hairs with which the membrane of the wing is covered, and 

 which the limner, as near as he could, imitated in the drawing ; 

 and that all thefe cannot be compjired with the great number of 

 hairs with which the Fly's body and its feet are covered ; and if we 

 naoreqver confider, that each hair is not formed of a lingle velfel, 

 jaut of many, we muft needs fay, that there is a greater caufe for 

 admiration and refledlion, in the contemplation of fo fmall infig- 

 nificant an animal, than in that of a horfe or an ox. And the 

 deeper we endeavour to fearch iqto the fecrets of Nature, the lefs 

 we are able to conceive the piinuteriefs of the particles of which 

 bodies are compofed. And to give {o.n\e idea of which minutenefs, 

 I have made thefe remarks on the wings of fmall flying animals. 



Fig. 27, reprefents one of the two horns on the head of this 

 fmall Fly. 



And here we muft fee, that there is more wifdom, perfedlion, 

 and curious workmanfliip, in the formation of this fmall Fly I have 



