VOL. XLI.] I'HILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 427 



largest of these beetles, and threw it into a cup full of common lamp-spirits, 

 that being the way of killing and preparing them for his purpose, and in a few 

 minutes it appeared to be quite dead. He then shut it up in a round pill-box, 

 of about an inch and half diameter, and carried it in his pocket next day to 

 London, where he tossed it into a drawer, and thought no more of it for above 

 2 months after; when, opening the box, he found it alive and vigorous; though 

 it had nothing to eat for all that time, nor received any more air than what 

 could be met with in so small a box, the cover of which shut very close. 

 Having however no intention of keeping it alive, he again plunged it into spirit 

 of wine, and let it lie considerably longer than the first time, till supposing it 

 dead beyond any possibility of recovery, he put it into the box again, and 

 locked it in a drawer, without looking any more at it for a month at least, when 

 he found it again alive. And now he began to imagine there must be some- 

 what extraordinary in this creature, since it could survive the force of spirit of 

 wine, which soon kills most other insects, and live for 3 months, without taking 

 in any sustenance. 



A few days before this, a friend had sent Mr. B. 3 or 4 cock-roches, or as 

 Merian calls them, kakkerlacae, brought alive from the West Indies : these he 

 had placed under a large glass of 6 or 7 inches diameter, made on purpose to 

 observe the transformation of caterpillers: he put the beetle among them, that 

 it might enjoy a greater share of liberty than for 3 months before. He fed them 

 with green ginger moistened in water, and they eat it greedily ; but he could 

 not find, nor does he believe, that the beetle ever tasted it during the whole 5 

 weeks they lived under the glass together. He often took notice, that the 

 cock-roches would avoid the beetle, and seem frighted at its approach ; but 

 never observed any tokens of its liking or dislike of them, for he usually stalked 

 along, without regarding whether they came in his way or not. Perceiving the 

 cock-roches begin to decline in vigour, Mr. B. was afraid they would lose much 

 of their beauty, if he permitted them to die of sickness, and would become un- 

 fit to be preserved : he therefore put them into spirit of wine, and the beetle 

 their companion with them. They appeared dead in a few minutes, and he be- 

 lieved were really so : the beetle seemed likewise in the same condition : after 

 they had lain in the spirits about an hour, he took them out, and whelmed the 

 glass over them, till he should have leisure to dispose of them as he intended. 

 This was about 10 o'clock in the morning, and he saw them no more till even- 

 ing, but found the beetle then creeping about as strong and vigorous as ever : 

 and therefore he resolved to put him to a trial he imagined he could not possibly 

 survive, which was to let him remain a whole night in spirits ; but here too 



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