Microscopical Essays. 247 



while in the worm Hate, are to live and feed in water ; but the 

 female parent cannot depofit her eggs in that element without 

 peri filing in the attempt. She lays them on dry land, near the 

 proper place of refidence of her young, and they are inftru£ted 

 by the fame Guide to place them in fuch a fi tuation, that as foon 

 as they are hatched they make their way to the water; and 

 •finally, when they have acquired their full growth, and the animal 

 within is ready to burft forth into a new lite, and enjoy the regions 

 of the air, it again quits the water,, that this great event may be 

 finifhed at land.. 



" As the fervant was now returned with a little water, Ijuft ob~ 

 ferved, that though refpiration is neceflary to all animal life, yet it 

 is varioully performed in the feveral fpecies ; and that thus, while 

 man and the generality of other animals refpired by the mouth, 

 this creature does it by the tail. The infecls we were examining 

 were about half an inch long, and their tails near an inch : I 

 proportioned the water in the glafs to this meafure in depth, and 

 on our throwing fome of them into it, their bodies naturally funk 

 with the head downwards, and while they feemed fearching after 

 food about the bottom, the extremities of their tails were feen jull. 

 above the water, and in continual motion. 



" My companions, who have long fmce learnt to make every 

 obfervation of this kind a fource of adoration to the fupreme 

 creator, difpofer, and prefer ver of all things, were admiring the 

 care of his providence in contriving thus amazingly that a poor 

 reptile mould not be furfocated while it fed. When I ordered, a 

 pint more water to be thrown into the glafs, they all cried out, at 

 firft, againft my deftroying thefe unhappy animals ; but their ad- 

 miration 



