The Hal SPOR Vio off IXNj8eE IC. TS: 
_ tubercles of the twelfth ring, which enable it to 
“maintain an equilibrium, by projecting more or 
lef at its pleafure, from the body. Immediately 
after this, the creature bends itfelf into a circle, 
and having brought its head, Tab. XLII. Fig. 
111, towards its tail, it prefently flretches out its 
two black crooked claws, and dire&ts them to 
the cavities formed between the two laft or hind- 
moft tubercles of the body, where it fixes them 
in the fkin ; as the fecond figure, done from na- 
ture by the help of a microfcope, accurately re- 
prefents. | 
The Mite having thus made itfelf ready, con- 
contracts its body with fuch force, that from a 
circular, it becomes of an oblong form, Fig. rv. 
the contraction extending in a manner to every 
part of the body. ‘This done, it again reduces 
itfelf with fo prodigious a force to a ftraight line, 
that its claws, which are feated in the mouth, 
make a very perceiveable noife on parting from 
the fin of the laft ring of the body: and thus 
the Mite, by firft violently bending, and after- 
wards ftretching out its body, leaps to a moft ex- 
traordinary height, if compared with the {mall- 
nefs of the creature, in confequence of the ftroke 
the body gives in recovering its place on the 
cheefe, or wood, or any other fubftance upon 
which it was before lodged. 
I haye indeed feen a Mite, whofe length did 
not exceed the fourth part of an inch, leap out 
of a box fix inches deep, that is, to a height 
twenty-four times greater than the length of its 
own body *; others leap a great deal higher. 
Bat this Worm does not always erect itfelf per- 
65 
pendicularly totake a leap; it very often prepares 
for this when lying on its fide, though the firft 
is the commonetft method ; but whether it erects 
itfelf, or lies on its fide when about to leap, it 
never fails to bend its body into a circle, and af- 
terwards to reduce it toa ftraight line. 
If, Sir, you fhould be defirous of examining 
with your own eyes, thefe furprifing miracles 
of God’s power and wifdom in this abjet crea- 
ture, you need only place the Mite in a drop of 
water, upon any white furface, and adapt it to 
the microfcope in this fituation; for, though it 
cannot leap in the water, you may diftinctly 
perceive it endeavouring to do fo, by feizing its 
anus with its claws, and making every other 
pofture, exhibited in the fecond, third, and fourth 
figures. 
This may alfo be feen in another manner, by 
fattening the Mite with a little pafte, made of 
ftiff ftarch, on the point of a very {mall needle 
made for the microfcope, as it cannot loofen it- 
felf, fo as to perform its leap in this fituation. 
Another method is, to roll the Mite about a little 
upon a table, and handle it till it has loft a great 
deal of its ftrength; for, in this condition, it 
takes hold of its anus very irregularly, and fome- 
times fixes its feet into the pulmonary tubes 
placed about that part; you may then very con- 
veniently fee in what manner it extends its claws_ 
upon this occafion. Our common friend, Dr, 
Matthew Slade, will confirm all thefe particu- 
lars, he having had the pleafure of admiring, 
together with me, all thefe prodigies of nature. 
An anatomical defcription of the internal parts. 
O kill fome of thefe Worms for diffeGion, 
I threw them into rain water, where they 
died, but not till after fix or feven days: they are 
fitteft, however, for anatomical diflections, at the 
end of two or three days, lying in water; for 
though ftill alive, they are benumbed. On 
being taken out of the water, at the end even of 
five days, they will crawl, however, and fome- 
times leap about as brifkly, ina manner, as ever, 
.and fometimes live after this to become Nymphs, 
and afterwards Flies, 
I could difcover no eyes in the Mite’s head ; 
butthefirft things that prefented themfelvesin that 
part, on diflection, were the claws, which I be- 
fore mentioned by the names of teeth and legs, 
as indeed | have found by experiment, that they 
will anfwer the feveral purpofes of all thofe parts. 
The infect makes ufe of them as teeth, in {crap- 
ing off the cheefe, and afterwards {wallowing 
_ it, fo that it is but reafonable to call them by 
that name: next the Mite employs them to 
walk with, fo that one would imagine it walked 
upon its nofe. This may be feen, by placing it upon 
a piece of fine linen, or paper; for it fixes thefe 
two parts into the pores of the linen, or paper, 
and then draws after them the reft of its body. 
Thus they deferve the name of feet: but this is 
not the only manner in which this creature 
crawls; it can likewife move itfelf by an undula- 
tion, or waving motion, of its body. Finally, 
thefe parts, may be juftly confidered as claws, 
not only upon account of, their refemblance to 
thofe parts in other animals, but alfo, becaufe it 
is with them that the Worm takes hold of the 
laft ring of its body, fo as to bring its mouth and 
anus to meet together. 
Thefe teeth or claws are very tharp on their 
fore part, and’they are moderately crooked, al- 
moft like thofe of hawks and eagles, Tab. 
XLII. Fig. v. aa. Nearer the root they grow 
broader, and they have two apophyfes or fwell- 
ings, wherein the mufcles, that ferve to move 
them, are inferted. Thefe teeth are articulated 
with the mouth and palate, which are two 
little black, oblong, hollow, horny bones, with 
which the pharynx is alfo connected. Thefe 
little bones, from a flender beginning, 44, after- 
wards become broad, and at laft terminate in 
four appendages, ¢¢, which are in a manner of 
a membranaceous fubftance; but in the fore 
* We may admire in this inftance the powers nature has given to different creatures, and their limitations, to anfwer neceflary pur- 
pofes, and not for mifchief to mankind. If nature had given this power to the ferpent kind, how terrible would it have been! A 
“Viper would have thrown itfelf from a concealed place, feventy-two foot at the traveller; a Rattlefnake an hundred and fifty : this 
being the proportion to the length of their bedies, 
b 
R part, 
