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rate Count Marfigli, after very attentively examin- 
ing the Gall-Infetls of one fpecies, remained feem- 
ingly convinced that they were real vegetable ex- 
crefcences. 
Indeed, thefe creatures have fo little about them 
to atcrafl the obfervation even of the curious, that 
they might probably have remained much longer 
unregarded, were it not that they multiply fo pro- 
digioufly on fome fruit-trees : the peach-tree, in 
particular, is fomerimes in a manner covered with 
them, and thefe of more than one fpecies; fome 
being of the globular kind, and others of the boat 
figure. The branches, thus covered, look rough 
and fcabby; and gardeners, fenfible that, whatever 
the fubftances are, they muft be nourifhed at the 
expence of the juices of the tree, have fet about in- 
venting means for their deftruftion. Orantje- 
trees, which are frequently full of thefe infefts, 
firft excited the attention of the more curious ob- 
fervers of fuch minute parts of nature. Thefe are 
principally of that kind whofe figure reprefents an 
inverted boat; and on them Meff, de la Hire and 
Sedileau made a fet of curious experiments, which 
were publifhed in the Memoirs of the Academy of 
Paris. But though it muft be confeffed that many 
fpecies of thefe little animals are injurious to fruit- 
trees, there are fome kinds of them whole ufe and 
value fully compenfate for this lofs ; fince it is 
from one fpecies of thefe litcle creatures that the 
inhabitants of fome places make fuch great gains, 
gathering a harveft of them Vv'ithout the expence 
of planting or cultivating. The kermes, fo well 
known by name, though fo little truly underftood, 
is of this kind; and to it both the phyncian and 
the dyer are under very confiderable obligations. 
Lifter was, perhaps, the firft who difcovered the 
Gall-Infe6ls. He found thefe animals on the 
plum, cherry, vine, laurel, and many other trees, 
and calls them the patella of thefe trees. He ap- 
pears to have been well apprized of their animal 
origin ; and, in the year 1 67 1 , difcovered that fome 
of them would ftrike a carnation red colour with 
ley of afhes, affording not only a beautiful, but 
alfo a permanent tinge. 
GALL INSECT FLY. This animal, which 
is the male of the Gall-Infeft fpecies, is furniflied 
with two wings, and poffefles feveral peculiarities. 
As a great refemblance exifts between thefe Flies in 
all the Gall-Infedl clafs, a defcription of the peach 
Gall-Infedl may give a proper idea of all the reft. 
This animalcule, when examined with the afliftance 
even of the befb glaffes, exhibits nothing on the 
under part of it's head analogous to the organs of 
other Flies, deftined to convey tlieir nourifhment; 
nothing which bears the moft diftant refemblance 
to the trunks of other two-winged Flies; nor any 
thing which can be compared to teeth. Where the 
teeth, if any, ought to be placed, there are only two 
black, ftiining hemifpheric bodies, in every refpe6l 
refembling eyes. Exactly oppofite thefe, on the 
other fide of the head, and near the bafes of the 
antennre, there are two other fimilar bodies, which, 
notwithftanding the Angularity of their fituation, 
cannot be taken for any thing elfe but eyes. It 
would therefore feem, that this Fly has no organs 
for the reception of alim.ents, but has two eyes in 
their ftead. However, the want of thefe organs is 
by no means fingular with regard to the infecft 
world, fince moths and butterflies afford inftances 
of it: many of thefe may be feen, as foon as they 
are produced from the chryfalis, in an apt ftate to 
propagate their fpecies, and depofit their eggs; 
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and this great end of their exiftence being at- 
chieved, they have no farther occafion for life, nor 
any means for it's fupport: and probably the cafe 
is tlie fiime with refpeft to thefe Flies, which, as 
foon as they are difengaged from their coverings, 
fearch out and fecundate the females; which ad; 
finifhes the bufinefs of their lives. 
Another curious circumftance attends this fpe- 
cies; namely, that all the Flies of this kind are 
produced from their fhells backwards ; whereas all 
other fpecies of two-winged Flies are produced 
with the fore-parts of their bodies firft: and, if we 
cannot afiign a reafcn for this fingularity in the 
produ(5lion of the Fly now under confideration, 
we can, however, eafily perceive, that every thing 
is prepared and deftined for it's coiivenience. In 
the nymphs of other Flies, all t'ne legs are con- 
ftantly applied clcfe to the body; whereas, on the 
contrary, in the nymph of the Gall Infecfl Fly, the 
legs placed next the head, or the firft pair, are con- 
ftantly ranged upwards, and each of them em- 
braces one fide of the head. The uniform pofition 
of thefe legs in this direftion is a proof that it is the 
order and courfe of nature in the produftion of the 
animal : nor are they improperly thus placed in a 
fpecies which, contrary to all others, is to force it- 
felf backwards out of it's fhell, fince they affilt the 
creatu!"e in it's operations ; and, as ti'.e anrerior 
parts of the cafes of other F'-ri naturally and ea- 
fily open, to give pafilise to the animals, io alfo 
does the prfterior part of this. 
GALLEY-FISH; the Medufa of Linnseus. 
This animal, which is referred to the infecft trihes 
by Linn?^us, to the eye of a heedlefs Ipeftator frems 
a tranfparent bubble fwimm.ing on the furface of 
the fea, or like a bladder varioufly and beautifully 
painted vv'ith vivid colours, where red and purple 
predominate as varioufly oppofed to the beams of 
the fun. It is, however, an a6lual Fifli; the body 
of which is compofed of cartilages, and it's ikin 
filled with air, which thus keeps the animal float- 
ing on the furface of the water, according as the 
waves and winds happen to drive. Sometimes it 
is feen daflied on the fhore by one wave, and re- 
pelled by the next. Perfons who walk along the 
beach often tread on it; and the burfting of it's 
body yields a confiderable report. 
The Galley-Fifh has eight broad feet with 
wliich it fvvims, or which it expands in order to 
catch the air, after the manner of a fail; and, by 
means of thefe legs, which poftefs an adhefive qua- 
lity, it faftcns itfelf to whatever it meets. Labat 
informs us, that he could never difcover whether 
it moved when on fl:iore, though he tried every 
expedient to make it ftir; but only obferved that 
it ilrongly adhered to whatever fubftances he ap- 
plied it. 
Thefe creatures are very common in America, 
particularly along the coafts of the Gulph of Mex- 
ico, where they grow to the fize of a goofe-egg; 
and, whenever the fliore is unufually covered with 
them, it is deemed the certain prognoftic of a 
ftorm. They are generally feen floating; and no 
efforts can fink them to the bottom. All that ap- 
pears above water is a bladder, clear and tranfpa- 
rent as glafs, and flnining with the moft vivid co- 
lours of the rainbow: beneath the furface are four 
of the feet already mentioned, which ferve as oars ; 
while the other four are expanded for fails. But 
the moft extraordinary circumftance attending this 
creature, is tlie violent pungency of the flimy fub- 
ftauce with which it's legs are fmeared: if the leaft 
quantity 
