D I PTE RA» 
7 * 
The chryfalids, condantly on the furface of the 
water, in order to draw breath, abdain now from 
eating, but, upon the lead motion, are feen to un¬ 
roll themlelves, and plunge to the bottom, by mean 
of little paddles fituate at their hinder part. After 
three or four days drift falling, they pafs to the 
ilate of gnats. A moment before, water was the 
element of the little creature ; but now become a 
winged infeft, he can no longer fubfid in it. He 
fwells his head, and burlls his inclofure ; the robe 
he lately wore turns to a fhip, of which the infeft 
is the mall and the fail. If, at the indant the gnat 
difplays his wings, there arife a breeze, it proves 
to him a dreadful hurricane, the water gets into the 
fhip, and the infeft, who is not yet loofened from 
it, finks and is loll. But in calm weather the gnat 
forfakes his Hough, dries himfelf, flies into the air, 
feeks to pump the alimentary juice of leaves, or 
the blood of man and beads. It is impoilible to 
behold and not admire the amazing drufture of its 
ding ; what the naked eye difcovers is but a tube, 
containing five or fix fpicula of exquifite minute- 
nefs, fome dentated at their extremity, like the head 
of an arrow, others fharp edged, like razors. Thefe 
fpicula, introduced into the veins, aft as pump- 
fuckers, into which the blood afcends, by reafon of 
the fmallnefs of the capillary tubes. The infeft in- 
jefts a fmall quantity of liquor into the wound, by 
which the blood becomes more fluid, and is feen 
through the microfcope palTing through thofe fpicula* 
The 
