C 44i 3 
may open a Way to more amazing Difcoveries,' and 
tend confiderably towards iniarging our Notions of 
Animal Life in general. In Obedience therefore 
to your Commands, I prefume to lay before you a 
Series of plain Fads, without troubling you with my 
own Refiedions, or endeavouring to let them off 
with any other Ornament than Truth. 
In the Middle of the Month of ‘June 1737. I hap- 
pened to be at a Relations Houfe at Tottenham in 
the County of Middlefex and whilft I was there, 
a large Ciftern of Lead, that was placed in the Coach- 
houfe-yard, to receive by Pipes the Rain-water from 
feme Out-buildings, fell down, through the Failure 
of a wooden Frame whereon it flood. My Curiofity 
kd me to examine into this Ciftern 5 and at the 
Bottom of it, I obferved feveral black Beetles^ plung- 
ing in a muddy flimy Sediment, which the Water had 
left. Taking out Two or Three of them, I found 
them of a middling Size, fomewhat above an Inch in 
Length, having Six pretty long Legs, with Two little 
Hooks at the Extremity of each, in the Manner of the 
common Beetles : They were all over of a rufty black 
Colour, with Antenna long and jointed 5 a Body 
covered with one ftrong Shell, forming an Appearance 
of Cafe-wings, but undivided, and without any filmy 
Wings underneath, and a Tail turning up a little : In 
fhort, they refemble very much a Sort of Beetle that 
is fometimes feen in Houfes, but were of a ftronger 
and much more firm Contexture. 
As I have preferved moft of our Englipj Infedts, 
(after a Manner I fhall not here take up your Time in 
deferibing) I chofe one of the largeft oirh^io-BeetleSy 
and threw it into a Cup full of common Lamp- fpir its, 
(that 
