Microscopical Essays. 



by letting them drop by their threads into fcalding water, and 

 fuddenly withdrawing them ; for by this means the epidermis 

 peeled off very eafily ; and when this was done, he put them into 

 diftilled vinegar and fpirit of wine, mixed together in equal por- 

 tions, which, by giving a proper firmnefs to the parts, gave him 

 an opportunity of feparating them, with very little trouble, from 

 the exuviae, or (kins, without any danger to the parts ; fo that by 

 this contrivance, the nymph could be (hewn to be wrapped up 

 in the caterpillar, and the butterfly in the nymph. Thofe who 

 look into the works of Swammerdam, will be abundantly grati- 

 fied, whether they confider his immenfe labour and unremitted 

 ardour in thefe purfuits, or his wonderful devotion and piety. 

 On one hand, his genius urged him to examine the miracles of 

 the great Creator in his natural produftions ; whilft on the other* 

 the love of that fame all-perfecl Being rooted in his mind, ftrug- 

 gled hard to perfuade him that God alone, and not the creatures^ 

 were worthy of his refearches, love, and attention. 



M. Lyonet always drowned firft thofe infe&s he intended to 

 anatomize, as by this means he was enabled to preferve both the 

 foftnefs and tranfparency of the parts. If the infecT:, &c. is very 

 fmall, ex. gr. one-tenth of an inch, or a little more in length, it 

 mould be dinged in water, on a glafs which is a little concave ; 

 if after a few days there is any fear that the infea will putrefy, it 

 mould be placed in weak fpirit of wine, inftead of water. In 

 order to fix the little creature, it mult be fuffered to dry, and 

 then be fattened by a piece of foft wax ; after which it may be 

 again covered with water. 



Larger 



