140 Microscopical Essays. 



fo twift and twine it's body, that it was impoffible any way to get 

 a good view of it ; if it was killed, the body was fo fmall, that the 

 fhape was often fpoiled before it could be examined. It is the 

 nature of many minute bodies, when their life is deftroyed, for 

 the parts to fhrivel up immediately ; this is very obfervable in 

 many fmall plants, as well as in infects ; the furface of thefe fmall 

 bodies, if porous, being affected by almoft every, change ©f the 

 air; and this is particularly the cafe with the ant. But if the 

 little creature is dropped in well rectified fpirit of wine, it is im- 

 mediately killed ; and when taken out, the fpirit of wine evapo- 

 rates, leaves the animal dry and in it's natural pofture ; or at leaft 

 fo conftituted, that you may eafily place it with a pin in what 

 poflure you pleafe-.* 



Having thus given a general account of the methods ufed hy 

 Swammerdam and Lyonet, in their examination and diffeftion o£ 

 infects, we mall proceed to {hew how to prepare feveral of their 

 parts for the microfcope, beginning with the wings. Many 

 of thefe are fo tranfparent and clear, as to require no previous 

 preparation ; but the under wings of thofe that are covered with 

 elytra or eruftaceous cafes 5 being eonftantly folded, up when at 

 reft, they muft be unfolded before they can be examined by the 

 microfcGpe: for this purpofe, a considerable fhare of, dexterity,, 

 and fome patience is neceflary ; for the natural fpring of the 

 wings is fo fixong, that they immediately fold themfelves again?, 

 except they are carefully prevented^. f 



One of the mod curious and beautiful wings of this kind is thate 

 of the earwig, of which we have given a drawing, Plate XIV. 



Fig. 



* Hooke's Micrographia, p. 203, 



