GENERATION OF INSECTS. 3 



tioiiably, that the imagination of Kircher had mag- 

 nified into young snakes, — which, being confined in 

 a covered box, were in a short time transformed into 

 flies, at first of a dull ash colour, wrinkled, unfinished, 

 and their wings not yet unfolded, — as is always the 

 case with winged insects just escaped from their pupa 

 case. In less than an hour, however, they "un- 

 folded their wings and changed into a vivid green, 

 marveKously brilliant" — most probably the green 

 flesh-fly (Mil sea CfBsar. Linn.) 



It is a common opinion in this country, particu- 

 larly in the north, that if a horse's hair be put into 

 the water of a spring or a ditch, it will be in process 

 of time transformed, first into a hair-worm, and 

 afterwards into an eel. The deception, as in the 

 instance of Kircher's snakes, arises from the close 

 resemblance between a hair and the hair-worm 

 {Gordius aquaticus, Linn.), and between this and 

 a young eel. This fabled transformation of hair, 

 which we have heard maintained even by several 

 persons of good education, is physically impossible 

 and absurd. 



The method laid down by Virgil in his Georgics 

 for generating a swarm of bees is precisely of the 

 same description as the snake recipe of Kircher; and 

 though the " Episode of Aristseus recovering his 

 bees" has been pronounced to be " perhaps the 

 finest piece of poetry in the world," we must be per- 

 mitted to say that it is quite fabulous and unphiloso- 

 phical* The passage runs thus : — 



Oft from putrid gore of cattle slain 

 Bees have been bred. * * * ^ narrow place, 

 And for that use contracted, first they choose, 

 Then more contract it, in a narrower room, 

 Wall'd round, and cover'd with a low built roof. 

 And add four windows, of a slanting light 

 From the four winds. A bullock then is sought, 

 His horns just bending in their second year ; 



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