MEMOIR OF SWAMMERDAM. 37 



one through the second change of their skin. God, 

 therefore, the Supreme Artist, has been pleased to 

 assign this insect a short life that surpasses adoration. 



tc Who has so great a genius, or is so conversant 

 in the art of writing, as to be able to describe with 

 a due sense, the trouble, the misfortunes this creature 

 is subject to during the short continuance of its flying 

 life ? For my part, I confess I am by no means able 

 to execute this task, nor do I know whether nature 

 ever produced a more innocent and simple little crea- 

 ture, which is, notwithstanding, destined to undergo 

 so many miseries and horrible dangers. 



" Besides that the life of the Ephemeras is short, 

 nay, amazingly and incomprehensibly so, an infinite 

 number of them are always destroyed in the birth, 

 being devoured by nsh. Nor does Clutius acquit any 

 species of fish of this barbarity, except the perch and 

 pike. Though the rest of the ephemeri have 

 escaped this cruel danger, yet on land, when they 

 are engaged in the great work of changing their skin, 

 they are barbarously devoured by swallows and other 

 oirds. Nay, if they escape this danger, when they 

 afterwards approach again to the surface of the water, 

 and carelessly sport and play there with their wings 

 and tails, they a second time become a prey to the 

 fish, which drag them away to the dark bottom of 

 the water, and devour them. If they fly higher into 

 the air, another kind of torment attends them, for 

 then they are persecuted with a different barbarity, 

 by other kinds of birds, which tear their limbs 

 asunder, and devour them. Though these insects 



