Microscopical Essays. 



Pedes, the feet. Thefe are admirably adapted for 

 their intended fervice, to give the mofi convenient and proper 

 motion, and from the variety in their conftruction, their various 

 articulations, Sec. furnifh the microfcopic obferver with a great 

 many curious and interesting- objects : the moil general num- 

 ber is fix ; fome have eight, as the fpider ; the crab has ten ; the 

 onifcus fourteen ; the julus has from feventy to one hundred and 

 twenty on each fide. The legs of thofe infecls that have not 

 more than ten, are affixed to the trunk ; while thofe that exceed 

 that number have part fixed to the trunk, the reft to the 

 abdomen. 



The legs of infecls are generally divided into four parts. The 

 firft, which is" ufually the largeft, is called the femur ; the 

 fecond, or tibia, is joined to the former, and is commonly of the 

 fame fize throughout, and longer than the femur ; this is fol- 

 lowed by the third part, which is diftinguifhed by the name of 

 tar/us, or foot ; it is compofed of feveral joints, the one arti- 

 culated to the other, the number of the rings varying in different 

 infeds : the tarfus is terminated by the unguis, or claw. 



The writers on natural hiftory, in order to render their 

 defcriptions clear and accurate, have given feveral names to the 

 legs of infeds, from the nature of the motions produced by 

 them. 



Thus curforii, from that of running ; thefe are the moft 

 numerous. 



The Jaltatorii, thofe that are ufed for leaping, 



Y-2 



The 



