3 1 8 Mr. Ray to the Editor, 



found about 300 kinds, and there are ftill remaining 

 many more undifcover'd by me, and all within the 

 compafs of a few Miles, How many then may we 

 reafonably conjecture are to be found in England , in 

 Europe, in the Eaft and Weft- Indies, in the whole 

 World. The Beetles are a Tribe near as numerous as 

 thefe, and the Flies of all forts, not fewer. : I have 

 now given over my Inquifition , byreafonof my dis- 

 ability to profecute, and my approaching End, which 

 I pray God fit me for. You that have more time 

 before you, may profitably beftow fome of yourfpare 

 Hours upon fuch Enquiries, and may probably make 

 ufeful Difcoveries, at leaft may reap a great deal of 

 Pleafure and fatisfa£tion in finding qut and bringing 

 to light fome of the Works of God not before taken 

 notice of. So I heartily bid you farewel. 



' frlack Notky, June 30. 1701, 



At the time when this Letter was written, I was 

 but a Novice in the Hiftory of lnfe£ts , particularly 

 of Gnats , having begun my ftri£t Obfervatiohs of them 

 but the foregoing Spring. In order to the Difcovery 

 of the procefs of their Generation, I fliut up in Glafles 

 divers Nympha and Aar elite of Gnats, with the Wa- 

 ter in which they were produced - y and after all the 

 Aiirelig were become Gnats, and the Nymphs, Aure- 

 lue , I found there were other \ Nymph & fucceeded V 

 and not having feen any Eggs in the Water , I very 

 inadvertently concluded that thofe Nymphs , or at 

 leaft the Aitnlue ( which J thought might be more 

 perfect Animals than I afterwards found them) might 

 lay Eggs, and be the Parents of thofe fucceeding Nym-- 

 pb<e. Bat Ifoonfound my Error, and that what my 

 Friend Mr. Ray faith in this Letter was true, and al- 

 fo difcover'd the whole procefs of the Generation of 

 Gnats, and thac this Tribe of Infefts is much larger 

 than was ever imagin'd : For in the Parts only near 

 Upminjier in EJJex (where I. then lived) I difcover^d 



above 



