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 Mouffet in his History 
of Insects. The animal has hardly any where 
been figured with sufficient exactness except in 
the work of Baron Degeer. The 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. 
