The, BO O K”. of 
I likewife keep thofe Beetles, with their 
Nymphs, which are produced from Worms 
that gnaw dried flefh. By the affiftance of 
thefe Worms a fkeleton may be eafily cleared 
of the flefh that fticks to it. 
I am alfo to add that I have a Beetle, the 
Worms of which eat the bag of the mufk; I 
have, on account of the obfcure manner of its 
changing, defcribed it under the fourth order, 
and given its figure in Tab. XLV. fig. xxxII. 
Laftly, I rank in this order the largeft, the 
middling, and the fmalleft Hydrocanthari, or 
126 
NAOT URIE; 
Water Beetles, concerning which I have otca- 
fionally inferted various obfervations of the 
greateft importance to the naturalift. JI pre- 
{erve five {pecies of thefe; the {malleft is called 
the common water Flea, and water Femella. 
When this dives under the water, it has the art 
to enclofe a little bubble of air very dexteroufly 
in its tail. I have reprefented the parts of ge= 
neration of the Hydrocantharus, in Tab. XXII, 
fig. v. and the Worm called Vermis Sicarius, 
out of which it is probably produced, is exhi- 
bited in Tab. XXIX. fig. 1v. and v. 
or, 
The third order or “clafs of natural changes, according to the firft fpecies or me- 
thod, which we have called fimply the Nymph, exemplified in the Ant. 
Tas. XVI 
No. I. i Bae Ant’s egg delineated in its natu- 
ral fize, or the Worm of the Ant 
in its firft skin or coat, wherein it is called the 
egg, The firft of thefe figures exhibits it 
magnified. 
II. Is the skin beforementioned after it is 
caft. This is a kind of thin membrane, which 
the Vermicle or Worm of the Ant, quitting 
the form of an egg, throws off loofely, and rolls 
up as into an imperceptible point. 
Ill. The Ant’s Vermicle or Worm, imper- 
fe&t in many of its parts, without legs, come 
out of its egg or skin, and here reprefented in 
the form wherein it is commonly found in the 
earth at that period ; that is, having its head bent 
towards its breaft. Figure 11. exhibits a microf- 
copic view of it. 
IV. The Ant’s Vermicle or Worm having 
attained its full bignefs ; that is, when all the 
limbs and parts proper to the Ant are already 
increafed under the skin, but ftill lie hidden. 
Figure 11. gives it as feen under the mi- 
crofcope. | 
V. The former Vermicle or Worm, having 
caft its skin and expofing to view all its parts, 
which were before hidden ; It fhould therefore 
be now called a real Nymph, whofe limbs ate 
fwollen with a fluid matter, as will be made 
more evident in the explanation of the fourth, 
fifth, and fixth figures, which exhibit the fame 
ftate of the creature magnified, together with 
its feveral parts. 
VI. The fame Worm now come into the 
ftate of the Formica or Ant, as will be more 
accurately and largely defcribed in the fubfe- 
quent explanations of the figures. 
Tap, XVI. Fic. 1. 
The Ant’s egg magnified, perfeGly fmooth 
and equal, diftended, glittering, and without 
any annular divifions. This is naturally fo {mall 
that when placed on a black ground it is fcarce 
vifible to the naked eye. This muft be well 
obferved in order to diftinguifh the true or 
real egg of the Ant. 
BiG): 13. 
The Vermicle or Worm of the Ant deli- 
neated larger, and prefenting its head and 
mouth, together with the twelve annular divi- 
fions of its body. The head is bent towards 
the breaft; and if the Worm be touched or 
moved in the leaft, it always contracts itfelf in 
that manner. Though this bea real Vermicle, 
yet it is commonly called the egg of the Ant. 
But this appellation proceeds from the groffeft 
ignorance, fince it palpably is a real creature, 
having life and motion, though it is yet with- 
out legs : it does not bear the leaft refemblance 
to an egg, nay it is fometimes larger than the 
Ant itfelf. But {uch is the ignorance of thofe 
perfons who feek for thefe Vermicles and ex- 
pofe them to fale in the market: they are bought 
there in order to be given as food to various 
kinds of birds, and they are very greedily eaten 
by them. 
Fic. 11, 
I here exhibit the method whereby the Ver- 
micle or Worm beforementioned leifurely and 
quietly undergoes its natural change ; the blood 
and other humours infenfibly {welling about the. 
breaft and near the head, and by that means 
the creature itfelf becoming thicker, larger, and 
more fwollen: by this means at length lofes 
all its motion, that is when it has caft its skin, 
and brought to light its limbs, that were before 
hidden. 
Fic. iv. 
The fame Vermicle or Worm, having caft 
its firft skin, and prefenting to view alll its limbs 
and parts, which were before hidden under the 
skin ; hence it is in this ftate called a Nymph, 
which I reprefent magnified, and reclining on 
its fide. 
Fic. v. 
The fame Vermicle, lying on its back, is in 
this figure exprefied magnified. ~ B pa 
