63 



^j ami house-leak; may not the same or the like 

 particles supply nourishment to some species of ani- 

 mals ? In the jftnazing plan of nature, the animal, ve- 

 getable, and mineral kingdoms, are not separated from 

 each other by wide distances, but near their bounda- 

 ries, differ from each other, by such minute and in- 

 sensible degrees, that we cannot find out certainly 

 where the one begins or the other ends. As the air 

 therefore nourishes some plants, so it may nourish 

 some animals, otherwise a link would seem to be want- 

 ing in the mighty chain of beings. It is certain came- 

 Icons and fenakes can live many months without any- 

 visible subsistence ; and probably not merely by their 

 slow digestion, but rather by means of particles con- 

 tained in the air, as this beetle did; yet doubtless in 

 its natural state it used more substantial food. So 

 the plants above named thrive best with a little earth, 

 although they flourish a long time, and send forth 

 branches and (lowers when they are suspended in the 

 air. 



" Even in the exhausted receiver, after it had been 

 there half an hour, it seemed perfectly unconcerned, 

 walking about as briskly as ever. But on the ad. 

 mission of the air, it seemed to be in a surprise for a 

 minute. 



u After I had kept him half a year longer, he got 

 away, through the carelessness of a servant who took 

 down the glass." 



12. A Female-Fly, within four and twenty hours 

 after her congress with the male, begins to deposit her 

 eggs on some substance proper to give nourishment to 

 the worm that is to be produced. These eggs in ge- 

 nera, are while and obiong ; but there are some of 

 them which are singular. To describe one species of. 

 them may suffice, the eggs laid on hog's dung. 



They are white and oblong, but of a peculiar make. 

 At one end of each of the^e eggs, between that end 

 arwi the middle, are two little wings standing out on 

 either side. As soon as the fly has laid her eggs, she 



