Microscopical Essays. 



thefe files reft with their wings erect. The phryganeae differ very 

 much from the foregoing, and alfo from one another ; their under 

 wings fold, and the upper ones are of a ftronger texture, many 

 of them fo much reiembling frnall moths as not eafily to be dii- 

 tinguiftied from them : thefe are all found in the vicinity of ponds 

 or marfhy places. In the hemerobii a wonderful degree of ele- 

 gance is exhibited in the difpofition of the nerves, which compofe 

 their wings, each nerve, being adorned with hair in a beautiful 

 manner ; there are many fpecies of thefe flies equally beautiful, a 

 fpecimen is given in plate XIII. Fig. 1. The ichneumon fly has 

 four tranfparent wings, the inferior ones fmaller, and more deli- 

 cate than the ; fuperior ; the tube through which the female 

 depofits it's eggs, is an additional object well worth attention* 

 The wings of wafps are folded longitudinally, the wings of the 

 large bee are very curious* . Gnats in . general, and the various 

 fpecies of tipulae, together with the clouded and variegated wings 

 of the mufcae, tabani, &c v increafe Jihe catalogue beyond the 

 power of enumeration ; in fhort, there is not a wing but has its- 

 particular beauties, and will amply repay the attentive obferver. 

 The current fphinx moth connects the tranfparent and farinaceous 

 wings partaking of both, and the white plumed, .and many plumed 

 moths, exhibit wings totally different from all the reft; man)? 

 other fmali moths furnifh wings fufficiently tranfparent for obfer- 

 vation, the fringe or edges being remarkably beautiful. 



Many fmall infects that are not too opake, may be viewed and 

 examined as tranfparent obje&s ; as fome of thefe have been par- 

 ticularly noticed by the early microfcopic writers, it will be hecef-. 

 fary to give fome account of them, as without it the work might 

 be .deemed, incomplete. Every one is acquainted with the agihty, 



and a 



