95 
Of Mitej . 
6 
Of mites. 
T HEY are crufiaceous animals, having a fmall head 
in proportion to their bodies, a lharp fnout and 
mouth like that of a mole c , when open it appears red ; 
they have two little eyes, fome have fix legs, others eight, 
each of which terminate in two hooked claws : the divi- 
fions of the head, neck, and body are eafily difcernabie by 
the microfcope ; the hinder part of its body is plump, 
and of an oval form, with a few exceeding fmall hairs 
ifluing therefrom, and from other parts of its body alfo. 
The female lays eggs, the young ones iffue forth with all 
their members perfedf, though extremely minute; they 
call their fkins feveral times before they attain their full 
growth. 
Fig. 106. reprefents one of the mites in cheefe ; itss 
head is feen at A, and exactly anfwers the defcription 
before given. One of a mite’s eggs is feen at fig, 
165. 
They may be kept alive many months between two 
concave glaffes, and applied at pleafure to the microfcope, 
by often looking at them they may frequently be feen in 
coitu d , conjoined tail to tail, for though the penis of 
the male be in the middle of the belly, it turns backwards 
like the rhinoceros. The coitus is performed with an 
incredible fwift motion. In warm weather their ep-p-s 
CO 
hatch in twelve or fourteen days 5 but in winter-time and 
a 
cold weather not under feveral weeks: the young ones 
may be frequently feen near a day Itruggling to get clear 
of their egg-fhell. 
c Power’s Mic. Obf. p. 16. d Arc. Nat. Torn, iv, p. 360, 
