(=65) 



have placed the Spawn) andto the Stones 'whkh Iput therein, 'ivith the Spa-ivn 

 fiicking to them, Thefe Eggs grow ntach larger, and therein are bred fmall 

 Wormsl fome red and fome grey^ 'which for a vjhile lie mewed up in their 

 ^iS^^^afes, but on occafion thrufi themfelves out half-ivay^ andfo divert them- 

 felves hy rollivg abouty and again retire upon any difiurbance, When they ari 

 bigger they come ^uite outy and fwim ahout the Water, md are in all things 

 like the Worm, Nr. i, Lr. a. Indeed they are of the very fame Species. For 

 Ifaw oneofthemthisJnnQ/:^ turned to a re^Aurelia already fpoken of "ivith 

 a Top-knot like Dandelion~feed. From which Aurelia came this very Gnat 

 in the Specimeny Nr. 6. vnthout any Top-knot, aiin Nr, i. 



I am in great fufpence whether the Worm, Aurelia, or Gnat lays this 

 SpavJn. Ihave Spa-wn laid in one ofmy Glajfes xohere Gnats were bred ; which 

 iflaid tbereby the Gnats^mufi needs befoon after they left their h.\XTG\\2i-fiate;, 

 and I think too without any previous Copulationy efpscially luith top-knotted 

 Gnats, Which made me inclined to think it migbt be laid there by the Worm^ 

 or Aurelia. But a curious Gentleman in my Neighbourhood told me, that he 

 obferving one Evening many Gnats fporting themfelves near the Brink of a 

 Tondy •ivas curious to catchfome of tbem, and that he obferved the binder part 

 oftbeir Bellies to be wrapped^ or doubled up^ with a Jelly included. Whence 

 be concluded^ that the Gnats were then dropping their Seed into the Waters^ for 

 futitre Generation, 



Uaving thus far givenyou theHifiory of Gnats, you mayjufily expeB thaf 

 I jhould alfo give you anaccount^ what particular Gnats come fromthe feve- 

 ral Aureliae before named, But having not as yet accurately enough obferved 

 the various forts of Gnats (which ars more than two^ as the fagaciout 

 Leewenhoekj Swammerdam, and others erroneoufiy fay) I cannot therefore 

 fo weU defcribe which come from which, Only I have obferved that Gnats 

 without feathered HornSy comefrotnthe Worms Nr. i, and tbofe withfeatber- 

 edy or brujh-like Hornsfrom Nr, ^. But whether they do contrariwife^ I can- 

 ftot fay i but t believe not, having frequently feen it fo, and never otherwife, 

 I imagine a fort ef big-bellied Gnat to comefrom the Aurelia, Nr. 2. but whe- 

 tber with aforked Tail (as in this abortive in the Spcimen) Ihave not had 

 opportunity of obferving, 



But now*after all this trouble, itis time to confider to whom T amwriting, 

 find to begyour pardon for being fo particularf as thougbyou (wbo baveread 

 wore upon thefe Subjecfs, and had longer Experience in themy and whofe Skill 

 all Europe doth admire) did not know thefe things much better than my 

 felf, But I could not fatisfy my felf that I had fulfilled yourRequefi, without 

 being thus particular, And I was the more willing to befo^ that by comparing 

 thefe Obfervations with your own^ you may correB what is amifs^ and improve 

 what is defe^ive, Which I earnefily defireyou 'ivill impart to me^ ifyoufee 



Mm cauftg 



