7$ Of the Gnat* 
fhort ones, and others none at all: the rib-work of the 
wings is feathered in fome and fcaled in others, and ir£ 
fome befet with prickles. 
Mr. Hook fuffered one of thefe gnats to pierce the fkin 
©f his hand, and thence to draw out its fill of blood, 
which made it appear very red and tranfparent, and this 
without any further pain, than whilft the fting was 
entering j a good argument that thefe creatures do not 
wound the fkin out of revenge, but for mere neeefiity to 
fatisfy their hunger. 
This piercer, fting, or fucker, as reprefented by F G 
H I, fig. 132. is a cafe covered with long fcales and 
hairs ; it lies concealed under the gnat’s throat, when 
not made ufe of; but when it is, the fide G H opens, 
and four darts are thruft out therefrom occafionally 3 one 
whereof H K (minute as it is) ferves for a cafe to the 
other three \ the fides of which towards the point K are 
barbed or indented. F I ftiew that part of the fting 
where it was cut off from the gnat’s throat. 
Fig. 133. reprefents part of the fecond fheath, whofe 
Tides near the top are barbed, but not here expreffed. 
This alfo opens fide-ways for a paffage to the three in¬ 
cluded firings. 
Fig. 134. ftiews all the parts of the flings wherein 
two of the interior ones might be feen barbed and in¬ 
dented towards the point j their finenefs is almoft in- 
expreflible, they have three fides, as reprefented in 
fig. 135, whofe edges feemed to join alternately (which 
when fo united referable a three edged fword,- or dagger. ) 
Fig. 136, fhews another part of one of thofe interior 
flings, which is remarkably fmall and fomewhat curved. 
Its top on the plain fide is fhewn at fig. 137. which top 
is reprefented in another pofition, fig. 138. A, and in the 
pofition of B its hooks might be feen. When thefe darts 
are 
