120 LECTURE IX. 



It is even to a species of Mite that the cuta- 

 neous disorder so common among the vulgar of al- 

 most all nations has been supposed to owe its exist- 

 ence. At least it is certain that a particular disorder 

 of that kind is really caused by a very small spe- 

 cies of Mite, which insinuates itself beneath the cu- 

 ticle and causes extreme irritation , This disorder, 

 though not often noticed by modern physicians, 

 appears to have been well known in this country 

 about the time of Queen Elizabeth ; and is very 

 distinctly recorded by Mquffet in, riis History 

 of Jnsects. The animal has hardly any where 

 been figured with sufficient exactness except in 

 the work of Baron Degeer, 'Jhe figure we at 

 present view is a very correct representation of 

 the animal, which is of a white colour, with 

 reddish brown head and hind-legs: it is chiefly 

 distinguished as a species by having the two pair 

 of fore-legs excessively thick at their origin, and 

 terminating in a slender tube; while the four 

 hind-legs proceed from a very narrow base, then 

 suddenly enlarge into an oval shape, and from 

 thence gradually stretch into a long and sharp* 

 pointed bristle. 



