444 HISTORY OF EMTOMOLOGY. 



This era produced several great and original geniuses, 

 who enriched the science with a vast increment of real 

 knowledge. The illustrious Zoologists whose names it 

 bears, the one by his dissections and anatomical re- 

 searches, and the other by his concise and well drawn 

 descriptions of numerous insects, by various interesting 

 observations on their manners and characters, and by 

 the purity of his latinity, contributed greatly to its pro- 

 gress towards perfection. Leeuwenhoek also, the com- 

 patriot of Swammerdam, and Hooke of Ray, amongst 

 other objects submitted to their powerful microscopes, 

 did not neglect insects. To the former we are indebted 

 for the remarkable discovery that the flea belongs to 

 those that undergo a metamorphosis. Ray had besides 

 two coadjutors whose names ought not to be forgotten,- 

 Willughby and Dr. Martin Lister. The former is cha- 

 racterized by his lamenting friend as one of the pro- 

 foundest of naturalists, as well as one of the most amia- 

 ble and virtuous of men. What advantage Entomology 

 would have reaped from his labours may be inferred 

 from the eminent services that he rendered that science, 

 amongst other branches of Zoology, during his short 

 life. It appears from Ray's Letters a , that he drew up a 

 history of insects and exsanguia, which probably formed 

 the groundwork of the posthumous Historia Insectorum 

 of that author ; concerning which he says, " The work 

 which I have now entered upon is indeed too great a 

 task for me: I rely chiefly on Mr. Willughby's dis- 

 coveries and the contributions of friends b ." And indeed 

 Willughby's name and initials occur so frequently in 

 that work, that it may be esteemed their joint produc- 



a Plrihs. Let I. &c, 1-11. " Ibid. 343. 



