Chapter 75

CHAP. VI.Of the Care ofInsectsabout theirYoung.

Of the Care ofInsectsabout theirYoung.

The other notable Instinct I am to treat of, is the peculiar Art and Care of the Insect-Tribe, about the Preservation of their Species. Here I might speak of many Things, but I have occasionally mentioned divers of them before, under some or other of the general Heads, and therefore shall fix only upon two Things relating to their special Art and Care about the Production[a]of their Young, which have not been so particularly spoken to as they deserve.

One Thing is their singular Providence for their Young, in making or finding out such proper Receptacles and Places for their Eggs and Seed, as that they may receive the Advantage of a sufficientIncubation, and that the Young, when produced, may have the Benefit of proper and sufficient Food for their Nurture and Education, till they are able to shift for themselves. It is admirable to see with what Diligence and Care the several Species of Insects lay up their Eggs or Sperm in their several proper Places; not all in the Waters, in Wood, or on Vegetables; but those whose Subsistence is in the Waters[b], in the Water; those to whom Flesh is a proper Food; in Flesh[c];those to whom the Fruits[d]or Leaves of Vegetablesare Food, are accordingly reposited, some in this Fruit, some on this Tree[e], some on that Plant[f], some on another, and another; but constantlythe same Family on the same Tree or Plant, the most agreeable to that Family. And as for others that require a constant and greater Degree of Warmth, they are accordingly provided by the Parent-Animal with some Place in or about the Body of other Animals; some in the Feathers of Birds[g]; some in the Hair of Beasts[h]; somein the very Scales of Fishes[i]; some in the Nose[k]; some in the Flesh[l]; yea, some inthe very Bowels[m]; and inmost Recesses ofthe Bodies of Man and other Creatures[n]: And as for others to whom none of these Methodsare proper, but make themselves Nests by Perforations in the Earth, in Wood, or Combs they build, or such like Ways; ’tis admirable to see with what Labour and Care they carry in, andseal up Provisions, that serve both for the Production of their Young, as also for their Food and Nurture when produc’d[o].

The other Piece of remarkable Art and Care about the Production of their Young, is their Curiosity and Neatness in repositing their Eggs, and in their Nidification.

As to the first of which, we may observe that great Curiosity, and nice Order is generally observ’d by them in this Matter. You shall always see their Eggs laid carefully and commodiously up[p]. When upon the Leaves of Vegetables, or other Material on Land, always glu’d thereon with Care, with one certain End lowermost, and with handsom juxta-Positions[q]. Or if in the Waters, in neat and beautiful Rows oftentimes, in that spermatick, gelatine Matter, in which they are reposited, and that Matter carefully ty’d and fastned in the Waters, to prevent its Dissipation[r],or if made to float, so carefully spread and poised, as to swim about with all possible Artifice.

And as to their other Faculty, that of Nidification, whether it be exerted by boring the Earthor Wood, or building themselves Cells[s], or spinning and weaving themselves Cases and Webs, it is all a wonderful Faculty of those poor little Animals, whether we consider their Parts wherewith they work, or their Work it self. Thus those who perforate the Earth, Wood, or such like, they have their Legs, Feet, Mouth, yea, and whole Body accommodated to that Service; their Mouth exactly formed to gnaw those handsome round Holes, their Feet as well made to scratch and bore[t], and their Body handsomely turned and fitted to follow. But for such as build or spin themselves Nests, their Art justly bids Defiance to the most ingenious Artist among Men, so much as tolerably to copy the nice Geometrical Combs of some[u], the Earthen Cells of others, or the Webs, Nets and Cases[w]wovenby others. And here that natural Glue[x]which their Bodies afford some of them to consolidate their Work, and combine its Materials together, and which in others can be darted out at Pleasure, and spun and woven by them into silken Balls[y]or Webs. I say, this so peculiar, soserviceable a Material, together with the curious Structure of all Parts ministring to this textrine Power, as mean a Business as it may seem, is such as may justly be accounted among the noble Designs and Works of the infinite Creator and Conservator of the World.

In the last Place, there is another prodigious Faculty, Art, Cunning, or what shall I call it? that others of those little Animals have, to make even Nature it self serviceable to their Purpose; and that is the making the Vegetation and Growth of Trees and Plants, the very Means of the building of their little Nests and Cells[z]; such, as arethe Galls and Balls found on the Leaves and Branches of divers Vegetables, such as the Oak, the Willow[aa], the Briar, and some others.

Now this is so peculiar an Artifice, and so far out of the Reach of any mortal Understanding, Wit, or Power, that if we consider the Matter, with some of its Circumstances, we must needs perceive manifest Design, and that there is the Concurrence of some great and wise Being, that hath, from the Beginning, taken Care of, and provided for the Animal’s Good: For which Reason, as mean as the Instance may seem, I might be excused, if I should enlarge upon its Particulars. But two or three Hints shall suffice.

In the first Place, ’tis certain that the Formation of thoseCasesandBallsquite exceeds the Cunning of the Animal it self; but it is the Act partly of the Vegetable, and partly of some Virulency (or what shall I call it?) in the Juyce, or Egg, or both, reposited on the Vegetable by the Parent Animal[bb]. And as this Virulency is various, according to the Differenceof its Animal, so is the Form and Texture of the Cases and Balls excited thereby; some being hard Shells[cc], some tender Balls[dd],some scaly[ee], some smooth[ff], some Hairy[gg], some Long, some Round, some Conical,&c.[hh]. And in the last Place, let us add, That those Species of Insects are all endowed with peculiar and exactly made Parts for thisService, to bore and pierce the Vegetable, and to reach and inject their Eggs and Juice into the tender Parts thereof.

FOOTNOTES:[a]The Doctrine of Æquivocal Generation, is at this Day so sufficiently exploded by all learned Philosophers, that I shall not enter the Dispute, but take it for granted, that all Animals spring from other Parent-Animals. If the Reader hath any doubt about it, I refer him toSeigneur Redi de Gen. Insect.and M.Ray’sWisd. of God, &c. p. 344. See also before,Book IV. Ch. 15. Note (a).[b]It would be endless to specify the various Species of Insects, that have their Generation in the Waters. And therefore I shall only observe of them, 1. That their Eggs are always laid up with great Care, and in good Order. And also, 2. Where proper and sufficient Food is. 3. That in theirNympha-State in the Waters, they have Parts proper for Food and Motion; and in many, or most of them, very different from what they have in theirMature-State, a manifest Argument of the Creator’s Wisdom and Providence. For an Instance, seeNote (r).[c]AsSeigneur Rediwas one of the first that made it his Business to discard Anomalous Generation, so he tried more Experiments relating to the Vermination of Serpents, Flesh, Fish, putrified Vegetables; and in short, whatever was commonly known to be the Nursery of Maggots, more I say probably, than any one hath done since. And in all his Observations, he constantly found the Maggots to turn toAureliæ, and these intoFlies. But then, saith he,Dubitare cœpi, utrùm omne hoc vermium in carne genus, ex solo Muscarum semine, an ex ipsis putrefactis carnibus oriretur, tantoque magis confirmabar in hoc meo dubio, quanto in omnibus generationibus——sapiùs videram, in carnibus, antequàm verminare inciperent, resedisse ejusdem speciei Muscas, cujus propago postea nascebatur.Upon this he tells us, he put Fish, Flesh,&c.into Pots, which he covered close from the Flies with Paper, and afterwards (for the free Air sake) with Lawn, whilst other Pots were left open, with such like Flesh,&c.in them; that the Flies were very eager to get into the covered Pots; and that they produced not one Maggot, when the open ones had many.Fr. Redi de Gener.Insect.Among the Insects that come from the Maggots he mentions, he namesCulices. Now from the most critical Observations I have made, I never observed any sort ofGnatto come from putrified Flesh, Vegetables, or any other Thing he taxeth with them. So that either he means byCulex, some Fly that we call not by the Name ofGnat; or else theirGnatsinItaly, vary in their Generation from ours inEngland. For among above 30, near 40 distinct Species ofGnatsthat I have observed about the Place where I live, I never found any to lay their Eggs in Flesh, Filth,&c.but the largest Sort, called byAldrovand,Culices maximi, bySwammerdam,Tipulæ terrestres, lay their Eggs in Meadows,&c.under the Grass; one of the larger middle Sort, in dead Beer, Yeast,&c.lying on the Tops, or in the Leaks of Beer-Barrels,&c.and all the rest (as far as ever I have observed) lay and hatch in the Waters, as inNote (r).The Generation of the Second of these being akin to some of the foregoing instances, and a little out of the way, may deserve a Place here. ThisGnatlays its Eggs commonly in dead Beer,&c.as I said, and probably in Vinegar, and other such Liquors. Some Time after which, the Maggots are so numerous, that the whole Liquor stirreth as if it was alive; being full of Maggots, some larger, some smaller; the larger are the off-spring of ourGnat, the smaller, of a small dark coloured Fly, tending to reddish; frequent in Cellars, and such obscure Places. All theseMaggotsturn toAurelia, the larger of which, of a Tan-Colour, such as ourGnat. ThisGnatis of the unarmed Kind, having no Spear in its Mouth. Its Head is larger than of the commonGnats, a longer Neck, short jointedAntennæ, spotted Wings, reaching beyond its slenderAlvus; it is throughout of a brown Colour, tending to red, especially in the Female: The chief Difference between the Male and Female, is (as in otherGnats, yea, most Insects) the Male is less than the Female, and hath a slenderer Belly, and itsPodexnot so sharp as the Female’s is.[d]The Insects that infest Fruits, are either of theIchneumon-FlyKind, orPhalænæ. Plums, Pease, Nuts,&c.produce some or otherIchneumon-Fly. That generated in thePlumis black, of a middle Size, itsBodynear ³⁄₁₀ Inch long, its Tail not much less, consisting of three Bristles, wherewith it conveys its Eggs into Fruits: ItsAntennæ, or Horns, long, slender, recurved; its Belly longish, tapering, small towards theThorax;Legsreddish;Wingsmembranaceous, thin and transparent, in Number 4, which is one Characteristic of theIchneumon Fly.ThePease Ichneumon-Fly, is very small, Wings large, reaching beyond thePodex;Antennælong;Alvusshort, shaped like an Heart, with the Point towards theAnus; it walketh and flieth slowly. No Tail appears as in the former; but they have one lieth hidden under the Belly, which they can at Pleasure bend back to pierce Pease when they are young and tender, and other Things also, as I have Reason to suspect, having met with this (as indeed the former two) in divers Vegetables.PearsandApplesI could never discover any Thing to breed in, but only the lesserPhalæna, about ⁴⁄₁₀ Inch long, whitish underneath; greyish brown above (dappled with brown Spots, inclining to a dirty Red) all but about a third Part at the End of the Wings, which is not grey, but brown, elegantly striped with wavey Lines, of a Gold Colour, as if gilt; its Head is small, with a Tuft of whitish brown in the Forehead;Antennæsmooth, moderately long. TheAureliaof this Moth is small, of a yellowish brown. I know not what Time they require for their Generation out of Boxes; but those I laid up inAugust, did not become Moths beforeJunefollowing.[e]There are many of thePhalænæandIchneumon-FlyTribes, that have their Generation on the Leaves or other Parts of Trees and Shrubs, too many to be here reckoned up. TheOakhath many very beautifulPhalænæ, bred in its convolved Leaves, white, green, yellow, brown spotted prettily, and neatly dappled, and many more besides; and its Buds afford a Place for Cases, and Balls of various Sorts, as shall be shewn hereafter; its Leaves expanded, minister to the Germination of globular, and other sphæroidal Balls, and flatThecæ, some like Hats, some like Buttons excavated in the Middle, and divers others such like Repositories, all belonging to theIchneumon-FlyKind. And not only theOak, but theMaplealso, theWhite-Thorn, theBriar,Privet, and indeed almost every Tree and Shrub.[f]And as Trees and Shrubs, so Plants have their peculiar Insects. TheWhite-Butterflylays its voracious Offspring on Cabbage-Leaves; a very beautiful reddish ocellated one, its no less voracious black Off-spring of an horrid Aspect, on the Leaves of Nettles; as also doth a very beautiful, small, greenishIchneumon-Fly, in Cases on the Leaves of the same Plant: And to name no more (because it would be endless) the beautifulRagwort-Moth, whose upper Wings are brown, elegantly spotted with red and underwings edged with brown; these, I say, provide for their golden ring’dEruceupon theRagwort-Plant.[g]Many, if not most Sort of Birds, are infested with a distinct Kind of Lice, very different from one another in Shape, Size,&c.For Figures and Descriptions of them, I shall refer toSignieur Redi of Insects. See alsoMoufet, L. 2.c. 23.These Lice lay their Nits among the Feathers of the respective Birds, where they are hatched and nourished; and asAristotlesaith, would destroy the Birds, particularlyPheasants, if they did not dust their Feathers.Loco infr. citat.[h]And as Birds, so the several Sorts of Beasts have their peculiar Sorts of Lice; all distinct from the two Sorts infesting Man: Only theAss, they say, is free, because ourSaviourrode upon one, as some think; but I presume it is rather from the Passage inPliny, L. 11. c. 33. or ratherArist. Hist. Animal. L. 3. c. 31. who saith,Quibus pilus est, non carent eodem[Pediculo]excepto Asino, qui non Pediculo tantùm, verùm etiam Redivio immunis est.And a little before, speaking of those in Men, he shews what Constitutions are most subject to them, and instanceth inAlcmanthe Poet, andPherecydes Syriusthat died of thePthiriasis, or Lowly Disease. For which foul Distemper, if Medicines are desired,Moufet de Insect.p. 261. may be consulted. Who in the same Page hath this Observation,Animadverterunt nostrates——ubi Asores insulas à tergo reliquerint, Pediculos confestim omnes tabascere: atque ubi eas reviserint, iterum innumeros alios subitò oriri.Which Observation is confirmed by Dr.Stubs.Vid.Lowth. Abridg.V. 3. p. 558. And many Seamen have told me the same.[i]Fishes, one would think, should be free from Lice, by Reason they live in the Waters, and are perpetually moving in, and brushing through them; but yet have their Sorts too.Besides which, I have frequently found great Numbers of long slender Worms in the Stomachs, and other Parts of Fish, particularlyCodfish, especially such as are poor; which Worms have work’d themselves deeply into the Coats and Flesh, so that they could nor easily be gotten out: SoAristotle, saith of some Fishes,Ballero & Tilloni Lumbricus, innascitur, qui debilitat,&c.Chalcis vitio infestatur diro, ut Pediculi sub Branchiis innati quàm multi interimant.Hist. An. L. 8. c. 20.[k]Of Insects bred in the Nose of Animals, those in the Nostrils ofSheepare remarkable. I have my self taken out not fewer at a Time than twenty or thirty rough Maggots, lying among theLaminæof the Nostrils. But I could never hatch any of them, and so know not what Animal they proceed from: But I have no great doubt, they are of theIchneumon-FlyKind; and not improbably of that with a long Tail, call’dTriseta, whose three Bristles seem very commodious for conveying its Eggs into deep Places.I have also seen a rough whitish Maggot, above two Inches within theIntestinum rectumof Horses, firmly adhering thereto, that the hard Dung did not rub off. I never could bring them to Perfection, but suspect theSide-Flyproceeds from it.[l]In the Backs ofCows, in the Summer-Months, there are Maggots generated, which inEssexwe callWornils; which are first only a small Knot in the Skin; and I suppose no other than an Egg laid there by some Insect. By Degrees these Knots grow bigger, and contain in them a Maggot lying in a purulent Matter: They grow to be as large as the End of one’s Finger, and may be squeez’d out at a Hole they have always open: They are round and rough, and of a dirty White. With my utmost Endeavour and Vigilance, I could never discover the Animal they turn into; but as they are somewhat like, so may be the same as those inthe Note before.InPersiathere are very long slender Worms, bred in the Legs, and other Parts of Men’s Bodies, 6 or 7 Yards long. InPhilos. Trans.Mr.Dent, and Mr.Lewis, relate divers Examples ofWormstaken out of the Tongue, Gums, Nose, and other Parts, by a Woman atLeicester, which they were Eye-witnesses of. These, and divers others mention’d in theTransactions, may be seen together in Mr.Lowthorp’sAbridg.Vol. 3. p. 132.Narrat mihi vir fide dignus——Casp. Wendlandt——se in Poloniâ, puero cuidam rustico duorum annorum, Vermiculum album è palbebrâ extraxisse,——magnitudinis Erucæ.——Similem fere huic casum mihi[Schulzio]& D. Segero narravit hoc. Anno 1676. chirurgus noster Ant. Statlender, qui cuidam puero, ex Aure, extraxit Vermiculum talem, qualis in nucibus avellanis perforatis latitare solet, sed paulò majorem, coloris albissimi; alteri minores 5 ejusdem generis similiter ex Aure: Omnes aliquot horas supervixerunt——Vermiculos adhuc viventes oculis nostris vidimus.Ephem. Germ. T. 2. Obs. 24. ubi Vermiculi Icon. Many other Instances may be met with in the same Tome. Obs. 147, 148, 154.The Worms inDeerare mention’d often among ancient Writers.Aristotlesaith, Σκώληκας μεν τοι πάντες ἔχουσιν, ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ ζῶντας, &c.They[Deer]all have Live Worms in their Heads; bred under the Tongue, in a Cavity near theVertebra, on which the Head is plac’d; their Size not less than of the largest Maggots; they are bred all together, in number about twenty.Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 2. c. 15.To these Examples may be added the Generation of theIchneumon-Flyin the Bodies of Caterpillars, and otherNymphæof Insects. In many of which, that I have laid up to be hatch’d in Boxes, instead ofPapilios, &c. as I expected, I have found a great Number of smallIchneumon-Flies, whose Parent-Animal had wounded thoseNymphæ, and darted its Eggs into them, and so made them the Foster-Mother of its Young. More Particulars of this Way of Generation may be seen in the great Mr.Willughby’s Observations inPhilos. Trans.Nᵒ. 76. But concerning the farther Generation of this Insect, I have taken Notice of other Particulars in other places of these Notes.[m]The Animals ordinarily bred in the Stomach and Guts, are the three Sorts of Worms call’dLati,Teretes, andAscarides; concerning which, it would be irksome to speak in Particular, and therefore I shall refer toMoufet, L. 2. c. 31, 32, 33. Dr.Tyson’s Anatomy of them in Mr.Lowthorp’sAbridg.V. 3. p. 121.Seignior Redi’sObs. and others that have written of them.And not onlyWorms, but other Creatures also are said to be found in the Stomach; Instances of which are so innumerable, that I shall only select a few related by Persons of the best Credit. And first of all, by some of our own Countrymen. Dr.Lister, (whose Credit and Judgment will hastily be question’d,) gives an Account of trueCaterpillars, vomited up by a Boy of nine Years old; and another odd Animal by a poor Man. Mr.Jessop, (another very judicious, curious and ingenious Gentleman,) sawHexapodsvomited up by a Girl; whichHexapodsliv’d and fed for five Weeks. SeeLowth.ib. p. 135.And to Foreigners, it is a very strange Story (but attested by Persons of great Repute,) ofCatharina Geileria, that dy’d inFeb. 1662, in the Hospital ofAltenburg, inGermany, who for twenty Years voided by Vomit and Stool,ToadsandLizzards, &c.Ephemer. Germ.T. 1. Obs. 103. See also the 109. Observation of a Kitten bred in the Stomach, and vomited up; of Whelps also, and other Animals, bred in like Manner. But I fear a Stretch of Fancy might help in some of those last Instances, in those Days when spontaneous Generation was held, when the Philosophers seem to have more slightly examined such Appearances than now they do. But for the breeding ofFrogsorToads, orLacertæ Aquaticæin the Stomach, when their Spawn happeneth to be drank, there is a Story in the secondTomeof theEphem. Germ.Obs. 56. that favours it,viz.In the Year 1667, aButcher’sMan going to buy some Lambs in the Spring, being thirsty, drank greedily of some standing Water, which a while after, caus’d great Pains in his Stomach, which grew worse and worse, and ended in dangerous Symptoms. At last he thought somewhat was alive in his Stomach, and after that, vomited up three live Toads; and so recover’d his former Health.Such another Story Dr.Sorbaittells, and avoucheth it seen with his own Eyes, of one that had a Toad came out of an Abscess, which came upon drinking foul Water.Obs.103.[n]Not only in the Guts, and in the Flesh; but in many other Parts of the Body, Worms have been discover’d. One was voided by Urine, by Mr.Mat. Milford, suppos’d to have come from the Kidneys.Lowth.ib. p. 135. More such ExamplesMoufettells of.Ibid.So theVermes Cucurbitiniare very common in the Vessels in Sheeps Livers: And Dr.Listertells of them, found in the Kidney of a Dog, and thinks that the Snakes and Toads,&c.said to be found in Animals Bodies, may be nothing else.Lowth.ib. p. 120. Nay, more than all this: In Dr.Bern. Verzascha’s sixth Observation, there are divers Instances of Worms bred in theBrainof Man. One, a patient of his, troubled with a violent Headach, and an itching about the Nostrils, and frequent Sneezing; who, with the Use of a Sneezing-Powder, voided a Worm, with a great deal of Snot from his Nose. A like Instance he gives fromBartholine, of a Worm voided from the Nose ofO. W.which he guesseth was the famousOlaus Wormius: Another, from a Country Woman ofDietmarsh; and others inTulpius,F. Hildanus,Schenchius, &c. These Worms he thinks are undoubtedly bred in the Brain: But what way they can come from thence, I can’t tell. Wherefore I rather think, they are such Worms as are mentioned inNote (k), and even that Worm that was actually found in the Brain of theParis Girl(when opened) I guess might be laid in theLaminæof the Nostrils, by some of theIchneumon, or other Insect Kind, and might gnaw its way into the Brain, through theOs cribiforme. Of this he tells us fromBartholine,Tandem cùm tabida obiisset, statim aperto cranio præsentes Medici totam cerebelli substantiam, quæ ad dexterum vergit, à reliquo corpore sejunctam, nigrâque tunicâ involutam deprehenderunt: hæc tunica ruptæ, latentem Vermem vivum, & pilosum, duobus punctis splendidis loco oculorum prodidit, ejusdem fere molis cum reliquâ Cerebri portione, qui duarum horaram spacio supervixit.B. Verzas. Obs. Medicæ, p. 16.Hildanustells us such another Story,viz.Filius Theod. aust der Roulen, Avunculi mei, diuturno vexabatur dolore capitis.——Deinde febriculâ & sternutatione exortâ, ruptus est Abscessus circa os cribrosum——& Vermis prorepsit.By his Figure of it, the Maggot was an Inch long, and full of Bristles.Fabri Hildan. Cent.1. Obs.Galenus Wierus(Physician to thePrinc. Jul. & Cleve) he saith, told him, that he had, at divers Times, found Worms in theGall-bladderin Persons he had opened atDusseldorp. Id. ib. Obs. 60.[o]See beforeBook IV. Chap. 13. Note (c).[p]Some Insects lay up their Eggs in Clusters, as in Holes of Flesh, and such Places, where it is necessary they should be crowded together; which, no question, prevents their being too much dried up in dry Places, and promotes their hatching. But,[q]As for such as are not to be clustered up, great Order is used. I have seen upon the Posts and Sides of Windows, little round Eggs, resembling small Pearl, which produced small hairy Caterpillars, that were very neatly and orderly laid. And to name no more, theWhite Butterflylays its neat Eggs on the Cabbage Leaves in good Order, always gluing one certain End of the Egg to the Leaf. I call them neat Eggs, because if we view them in a Microscope, we shall find them very curiously furrowed, and handsomely made and adorned.[r]By Reason it would be endless to specify the various Generation of Insects in the Water, I shall therefore (because it is little observed) raisePliny’s Instance of theGnat, a mean and contemned Animal, but a notable Instance of Nature’s Work, as he saith.The first Thing considerable in the Generation of this Insect is (for the Size of the Animal) its vastSpawn, being some of them above an Inch long, and half a quarter Diameter; made to float in the Waters, and tied to some Stick, Stone, or other fix’d Thing in the Waters, by a small Stem, or Stalk. In this gelatine, transparent Spawn, the Eggs are neatly laid; in some Spawns in a single, in some in a double spiral Line, running round from end to end, as inFig. 9, and 10; and in some transversly, asFig. 8.When the Eggs are by the Heat of the Sun, and Warmth of the Season hatched into small Maggots, these Maggots descend to the bottom, and by means of some of the gelatine Matter of the Spawn (which they take along with them) they stick to Stones, and other Bodies at the bottom, and there make themselves little Cases or Cells, which they creep into, and out of at Pleasure, until they are arrived to a more matureNympha-State, and can swim about here and there, to seek for what Food they have occasion; at which Time, they are a kind of Red-worms, above half an Inch long, as inFig. 11.Thus far this mean Insect is a good Instance of the divine Providence towards it. But if we farther consider, and compare the three States it undergoes after it is hatched, we shall find yet greater Signals of the Creator’s Management, even in these meanest of Creatures. The three States I mean, are itsNympha-VermicularState, itsAurelia, andMature-State, all as different as to Shape and Accoutrements, as if the Insect was three different Animals. In itsVermicular-State, it is a Red-Maggot, as I said, and hath a Mouth and other Parts accommodated to Food: In itsAurelia-State it hath no such Parts, because it then subsists without Food; but in itsMature,Gnat-State, it hath a curious well-made Spear, to wound and suck the Blood of other Animals. In itsVermicular-State, it hath a long Worm-like Body, and something analogous to Fins or Feathers, standing erect near its Tail, and running parallel with the Body, by means of which resisting the Waters, it is enabled to swim about by Curvations, or flapping its Body, side-ways, this way and that, as inFig. 12.But in itsAurelia-State, it hath a quite different Body, with aClub-Head(in which the Head,Thorax, and Wings of theGnatare inclosed) a slenderAlvus, and a neatfinny Tail, standing at right Angles with the Body, quite contrary to what it was before; by which means, instead of easy flapping side-ways, it swims by rapid, brisk Jirks, the quite contrary way; as is in some measure represented inFig. 13.But when it becomes aGnat, no finny Tail, no Club-Head, but all is made in the most accurate manner for Flight and Motion in the Air, as before it was for the Waters.[s]SeeBook IV. Chap. 13. Notes (n), (o).[t]Thus the Mouths and other Parts of theIchneumon-WaspsinBook IV. Chap. 13. Note (t).So the Feet of theGryllotalpa,ibid.Note (s).[u]See the last cited Places,Note (o).[w]Of the textrine Art of theSpider, and its Parts serving to that Purpose, see the last cited Place,Note (x).Besides these,Caterpillars, and divers other Insects, can emit Threads, or Webs for their Use. In this theirNympha-State, they secure themselves from falling, and let themselves down from the Boughs of Trees, and other high Places, with one of these Threads. And in the Cases they weave, they secure themselves in theirAurelia-State.And not only the Off-spring of thePhalæna-Tribe, but there are some of theIchneumon-FlyKind also, endowed with this textrine Art. Of these I have met with two Sorts; one that spun a Milk-white, long, round, silken Web, as big as the top of ones Fingers, not hollow within, as many are, but filled throughout with Silk. These are woven round Bents, Stalks of Ribwort, &c. in Meadows. The other is a lump of many yellow, silken Cases, sticking confusedly together on Posts, under Cole-worts,&c.These Webs contain in them, small, whitish Maggots; which turn to a small, black,Ichneumon-Fly, with long, capillaryAntennæ; Tan-coloured Legs; long Wings reaching beyond their Body, with a black Spot near the middle; theAlvus, like an Heart; and in some, a small setaceous Tail. Some of these Flies were of a shining, beautiful green Colour. I could not perceive any Difference, at least, not specifical, between the Flies coming from those two Productions.[x]I have often admired howWasps,Hornets,Ichneumon-Wasps, and other Insects that gather dry Materials for building their Nests, have found a proper matter to cement and glue their Combs, and line their Cells; which we find always sufficiently context and firm. But in all Probability, this useful Material is in their own Bodies; as ’tis in theTinea vestivora, theCadew Worm, and divers others.Goedartobserves of hisEruca,Num.xx. 6. that fed uponSallow-Leaves, that it made its Cell of the comminuted Leaves, glued together with its own Spittle,hæc pulveris aut arenæ instar comminuit, ac pituitoso quodam sui corporis succo ita maceravit, ut inde accommodatum subeundæ mutationi instanti locum sibi extruxerit. Domuncula hæc à communi Salicum ligno nihil differre videbatur, nisi quòd longè esset durior, adeò ut cultro vix disrumpi posset.[y]An ingenious Gentlewoman of my Acquaintance, Wife to a learned Physician, taking much Pleasure to keep Silk-Worms, had once the Curiosity to draw out one of the oval Cases, which the Silk-Worm spins——into all the Silken Wire it was made up of, which, to the great Wonder as well of her Husband, as her self,——appeared to be, by measure, a great deal above 300 Yards, and yet weighed but two Grains and an half.Boyl Subtil. of Effluv. ch. 2.[z]Since my penning this, I have met with the most sagaciousMalpighi’s Account ofGalls, &c. and find his Descriptions to be exceedingly accurate and true, having traced my self many of the Productions he hath mentioned. But I findItalyandSicily(his Bookde Gallisbeing published long after he was made Professor ofMessina) more luxuriant in such Productions thanEngland, at least, than the Parts aboutUpminster(where I live) are. For many, if not most of those about us, are taken Notice of by him, and several others besides that I never met with; although I have for many Years as critically observed all the Excrescences, and other morbid Tumors of Vegetables, as is almost possible, and do believe that few of them have escaped me.As to the Method how thoseGallsandBallsare produced, the most simple, and consequently the most easy to be accounted for, is that in the Gems of Oak, which may be calledSquamous-Oak-Cones,Capitula squamata, inMalpighi: Whose Description not exactly answering ourEnglish-Conesin divers Respects, I shall therefore pass his by, and shew only what I have observed my self concerning them.TheseConesare, in outward Appearance, perfectly like the Gems, only vastly bigger; and indeed they are no other than the Gems, encreased in Bigness, which naturally ought to be pushed out in Length: The Cause of which Obstruction of the Vegetation is this: Into the very Heart of the young tender Gem or Bud (which begins to be turgid inJune, and to shoot towards the latter end of that Month, or beginning of the next; into this, I say) the Parent-Insect thrusts one or more Eggs, and not perhaps without some venomous Ichor therewith. This Egg soon becomes a Maggot, which eats it self a little Cell in the very Heart or Pith of the Gem, which is the Rudiment of the Branch, together with its Leaves and Fruit, as shall be hereafter shewn. The Branch being thus wholly destroyed, or at least its Vegetation being obstructed, the Sap that was to nourish it, is diverted to the remaining Parts of the Bud, which are only the scaly Teguments; which by these Means grow large and flourishing, and become a Covering to the Insect-Case, as before they were to the tender Branch and its Appendage.TheCaselying within this Cone, is at first but small, as the Maggot included in it is, but by degrees, as the Maggot increaseth, so it grows bigger, to about the Size of a large white Pease, long and round, resembling the Shape of a small Acorn.TheInsectit self, is (according to the modern Insectologers) of theIchneumon-FlyKind; with four MembranaceousWings, reaching a little beyond the Body, articulatedHorns, a largeThorax, bigger than the Belly; theBellyshort and conical; much like the Heart of Animals: TheLegspartly whitish, partly black. TheLengthof the Body from Head to Tail, about ²⁄₁₀ of an Inch; itsColour, a very beautiful shining Green, in some tending to a dark Copper-Colour. Figures both of the Cones, Cases, and Insects, may be seen amongMalpighi’s Cuts of Galls, Tab. 13. and Tab. 20. Fig. 72. which Fig. 72. exhibits well enough some others of theGall-Insects, but itsThoraxis somewhat too short for ours.[aa]Not only the Willow, and some other Trees, but Plants also, asNettles,Ground-Ivy, &c. have Cases produced on their Leaves, by the Injection of the Eggs of anIchneumon-Fly. I have observed those Cases always to grow in, or adjoining to some Rib of the Leaf, and their Production I conceive to be thus,viz.The Parent-Insect, with its stiff setaceous Tail, terebrates the Rib of the Leaf, when tender, and makes Way for its Egg into the very Pith or Heart thereof, and probably lays in therewith, some proper Juice of its Body, to pervert the regular Vegetation of it. From this Wound arises a small Excrescence, which (when the Egg is hatched into a Maggot) grows bigger and bigger, as the Maggot increases, swelling on each Side the Leaf between the two Membranes, and extending it self into the parenchymous Part thereof, until it is grown as big as two Grains of Wheat. In this Case lies a small, white, rough Maggot, which turns to anAurelia, and afterwards to a very beautiful green, smallIchneumon-Fly.[bb]What I suspected my self, I find confirmed byMalpighi, who in his exact and true Description of the Fly bred in theOaken Galls, saith,Non sat fuit naturæ tam miro artificio Terebram seu Limam condidisse; sed inflicto vulnere, vel excitato foramine infundendum exinde liquorem intra Terebram condidit: quare fractâ per transversam muscarum terebrâ frequentissimè, vivente animali, guttæ aliquot diaphani humoris effluunt.And a little after, he confirms, by ocular Observation, what he imagin’d before, viz.Semel prope Junii finem vidi Muscam, qualem superiùs delineavi, insidentum quercinæ gemmæ, adhuc germinanti; hærebat etenim foliola stabili ab apice hiantis gemmæ erumpenti; & convulso in arcum corpore, terebram evaginabat, ipsamque sensam immittebat; & tumefacto ventre circa terebræ radicem tumorem excitabat, quem interpolatis vicibus remittebat. In folio igitur, avulsà Muscâ, minima & diaphana reperii ejecta ova, simillima iis, quæ adhuc in tubis supererant. Non licuit iterum idem admirari spectaculum,&c.Somewhat like this, whichMalpighisaw, I had the good Fortune to see my self once some Years ago: And that was, the beautiful, shiningOak-Ball Ichneumonstrike itsTerebræinto an Oak-Apple divers Times, no doubt to lay its Eggs therein. And hence I apprehend we see manyVermiculestowards the Outside of many of the Oak-Apples, which I guess were not what the Primitive Insects laid up in the Gem, from which the Oak-Apple had its Rise, but some other supervenient, additional Insects, laid in after the Apple was grown, and whilst it was tender and soft.[cc]TheAleppo-Galls, wherewith we make Ink, may be reckoned of this Number, being hard, and no other than Cases of Insects which are bred in them; who when come to Maturity, gnaw their Way out of them; which is the Cause of those little Holes observable in them. Of the Insects bred in them, seePhilos. Transact.Nᵒ. 245. Of this Number also are those little smooth Cases, as big as large Pepper-Corns, growing close to the Ribs under Oaken-Leaves, globous, but flattish; at first touched with a blushing red, afterwards growing brown; hollow within, and an hard thin Shell without. In this lieth commonly a rough, white Maggot, which becomes a little long winged, blackIchneumon-Fly, that eats a little Hole in the Side of the Gall, and so gets out.[dd]For a Sample of the tender Balls, I shall choose the globous Ball, as round, and some as big as small Musket-Bullets, growing close to the Ribs, under Oaken-Leaves, of a greenish yellowish Colour, with a blush of red; their Skin smooth, with frequent Risings therein. Inwardly they are very soft and spongy; and in the very Center is a Case with a white Maggot therein, which becomes anIchneumon-Fly, not much unlike the last. As to this Gall, there is one Thing I have observed somewhat peculiar, and I may say providential, and that is, that the Fly lies all the Winter in these Balls in its Infantile-State, and comes not to its Maturity till the following Spring. In the Autumn, and Winter, these Balls fall down with their Leaves to the Ground, and the Insect inclosed in them is there fenced against the Winter Frosts, partly by other Leaves falling pretty thick upon them, and especially by the thick, parenchymous, spongy Walls, afforded by theGallsthemselves.Another Sample shall be the largeOak-Balls, calledOak-Apples, growing in the Place of the Buds, whose Generation, Vegetation and Figure, may be seen inMalpig. de Gallis, p. 24. and Tab. 10. Fig. 33,&c.Out of these Galls, he saith various Species of Flies come, but he names only two, and they are the only two I ever saw come out of them:Frequenter(saith he)subnigræ sunt muscæ brevi munitæ terebrâ. Inter has aliquæ observantur aureæ, levi viridis tincturâ suffusæ, oblongâ pollentes terebrâ.These two differently coloured Flies, I take to be no other than Male and Female of the same Species. I have not observed Tails (which are theirTerebræ) in all, asMalpighiseems to intimate: Perhaps they were hid in theirThecæ, and I could not discover them: But I rather think there were none, and that those were the Males: But in others, I have observed long, recurvous Tails, longer than their whole Bodies. And these I take to be the Females. And in theOak-Applesthemselves, I have seen theAureliæ, some with, some without Tails. And I must confess, ’twas not without Admiration as well as Pleasure, that I have seen with what exact Neatness and Artifice, the Tail hath been wrapt about theAurelia, whereby it is secured from either annoying the Insect, or being hurt it self.[ee]See beforeNote (z).[ff]As inthe preceding Note.[gg]Of the rough or hairy Excrescences, those on theBriar, orDog-Rose, are a good Instance. TheseSpongiolæ villosæ, as Mr.Ray,Gallæ rumosæ, as Dr.Malpighicalls them, are thus accounted for by the latter;Ex copiosis relictis ovis ita turbatur affluens[Rubi]succus, ut strumosa fiant complura tubercula simul confusè congesta, quæ utriculorum seriebus, & fibrarum implicatione contexta, ramosas propagines germinant, ita ut minima quasi sylva appareat. Qualibet propago ramos, hinc inde villosos edit. Hinc inde pili pariter crumpunt,&c.These Balls are a safe Repository to the Insect all the Winter in its Vermicular-State. For the Eggs laid up, and hatched the Summer before, do not come to mature Insects until the Spring following, as Mr.Rayrightly observes inCat. Cantab.As to theInsectsthemselves, they are manifestlyIchneumon-Flies, having four Wings, theirAlvusthick and large towards the Tail; and tapering up till it is small and slender at its setting on to theThorax. But theAlvior Bellies are not alike in all, though coloured alike. In some they are as is now described, and longer, withoutTerebræ, or Tails; in some shorter with Tails: And in some yet shorter, and thick, like the Belly of theAnt, or the Heart of Animals, as in those before,Note (z).But for a farther Description of them, I shall refer to Mr.Ray,Cat. Plant. circa Cantab.underRosa Sylvest.[hh]It being an Instance somewhat out of the Way, I shall pitch upon it for an Example here,viz.Thegouty Swellingsin the Body, and the Branches of theBlackberry-Bush; of whichMalpighihath given us two good Cuts in Tab. 17. Fig. 62. The Cause of these is manifestly from the Eggs of Insects laid in (whilst the Shoot is young and tender) as far as the Pith, and in some Places not so deep; Which for the Reasons before-mentioned, makes the young Shoots tumify, and grow knotty and gouty.The Insect that comes from hence is of the former Tribe, a small, shining blackIchneumon-Fly, about a tenth of an Inch long; with jointed, red, capillary Horns, four long Wings, reaching beyond the Body, a largeThorax, red Legs, and a short, heart-like Belly. They hop like Fleas. The Males are less than the Females; are very venereous, endeavouring aCoïtin the very Box in which they are hatch’d; getting up on the Females, and tickling and thumping them with their Breeches and Horns, to excite them to Venery.

[a]The Doctrine of Æquivocal Generation, is at this Day so sufficiently exploded by all learned Philosophers, that I shall not enter the Dispute, but take it for granted, that all Animals spring from other Parent-Animals. If the Reader hath any doubt about it, I refer him toSeigneur Redi de Gen. Insect.and M.Ray’sWisd. of God, &c. p. 344. See also before,Book IV. Ch. 15. Note (a).

[b]It would be endless to specify the various Species of Insects, that have their Generation in the Waters. And therefore I shall only observe of them, 1. That their Eggs are always laid up with great Care, and in good Order. And also, 2. Where proper and sufficient Food is. 3. That in theirNympha-State in the Waters, they have Parts proper for Food and Motion; and in many, or most of them, very different from what they have in theirMature-State, a manifest Argument of the Creator’s Wisdom and Providence. For an Instance, seeNote (r).

[c]AsSeigneur Rediwas one of the first that made it his Business to discard Anomalous Generation, so he tried more Experiments relating to the Vermination of Serpents, Flesh, Fish, putrified Vegetables; and in short, whatever was commonly known to be the Nursery of Maggots, more I say probably, than any one hath done since. And in all his Observations, he constantly found the Maggots to turn toAureliæ, and these intoFlies. But then, saith he,Dubitare cœpi, utrùm omne hoc vermium in carne genus, ex solo Muscarum semine, an ex ipsis putrefactis carnibus oriretur, tantoque magis confirmabar in hoc meo dubio, quanto in omnibus generationibus——sapiùs videram, in carnibus, antequàm verminare inciperent, resedisse ejusdem speciei Muscas, cujus propago postea nascebatur.Upon this he tells us, he put Fish, Flesh,&c.into Pots, which he covered close from the Flies with Paper, and afterwards (for the free Air sake) with Lawn, whilst other Pots were left open, with such like Flesh,&c.in them; that the Flies were very eager to get into the covered Pots; and that they produced not one Maggot, when the open ones had many.Fr. Redi de Gener.Insect.Among the Insects that come from the Maggots he mentions, he namesCulices. Now from the most critical Observations I have made, I never observed any sort ofGnatto come from putrified Flesh, Vegetables, or any other Thing he taxeth with them. So that either he means byCulex, some Fly that we call not by the Name ofGnat; or else theirGnatsinItaly, vary in their Generation from ours inEngland. For among above 30, near 40 distinct Species ofGnatsthat I have observed about the Place where I live, I never found any to lay their Eggs in Flesh, Filth,&c.but the largest Sort, called byAldrovand,Culices maximi, bySwammerdam,Tipulæ terrestres, lay their Eggs in Meadows,&c.under the Grass; one of the larger middle Sort, in dead Beer, Yeast,&c.lying on the Tops, or in the Leaks of Beer-Barrels,&c.and all the rest (as far as ever I have observed) lay and hatch in the Waters, as inNote (r).The Generation of the Second of these being akin to some of the foregoing instances, and a little out of the way, may deserve a Place here. ThisGnatlays its Eggs commonly in dead Beer,&c.as I said, and probably in Vinegar, and other such Liquors. Some Time after which, the Maggots are so numerous, that the whole Liquor stirreth as if it was alive; being full of Maggots, some larger, some smaller; the larger are the off-spring of ourGnat, the smaller, of a small dark coloured Fly, tending to reddish; frequent in Cellars, and such obscure Places. All theseMaggotsturn toAurelia, the larger of which, of a Tan-Colour, such as ourGnat. ThisGnatis of the unarmed Kind, having no Spear in its Mouth. Its Head is larger than of the commonGnats, a longer Neck, short jointedAntennæ, spotted Wings, reaching beyond its slenderAlvus; it is throughout of a brown Colour, tending to red, especially in the Female: The chief Difference between the Male and Female, is (as in otherGnats, yea, most Insects) the Male is less than the Female, and hath a slenderer Belly, and itsPodexnot so sharp as the Female’s is.

Among the Insects that come from the Maggots he mentions, he namesCulices. Now from the most critical Observations I have made, I never observed any sort ofGnatto come from putrified Flesh, Vegetables, or any other Thing he taxeth with them. So that either he means byCulex, some Fly that we call not by the Name ofGnat; or else theirGnatsinItaly, vary in their Generation from ours inEngland. For among above 30, near 40 distinct Species ofGnatsthat I have observed about the Place where I live, I never found any to lay their Eggs in Flesh, Filth,&c.but the largest Sort, called byAldrovand,Culices maximi, bySwammerdam,Tipulæ terrestres, lay their Eggs in Meadows,&c.under the Grass; one of the larger middle Sort, in dead Beer, Yeast,&c.lying on the Tops, or in the Leaks of Beer-Barrels,&c.and all the rest (as far as ever I have observed) lay and hatch in the Waters, as inNote (r).

The Generation of the Second of these being akin to some of the foregoing instances, and a little out of the way, may deserve a Place here. ThisGnatlays its Eggs commonly in dead Beer,&c.as I said, and probably in Vinegar, and other such Liquors. Some Time after which, the Maggots are so numerous, that the whole Liquor stirreth as if it was alive; being full of Maggots, some larger, some smaller; the larger are the off-spring of ourGnat, the smaller, of a small dark coloured Fly, tending to reddish; frequent in Cellars, and such obscure Places. All theseMaggotsturn toAurelia, the larger of which, of a Tan-Colour, such as ourGnat. ThisGnatis of the unarmed Kind, having no Spear in its Mouth. Its Head is larger than of the commonGnats, a longer Neck, short jointedAntennæ, spotted Wings, reaching beyond its slenderAlvus; it is throughout of a brown Colour, tending to red, especially in the Female: The chief Difference between the Male and Female, is (as in otherGnats, yea, most Insects) the Male is less than the Female, and hath a slenderer Belly, and itsPodexnot so sharp as the Female’s is.

[d]The Insects that infest Fruits, are either of theIchneumon-FlyKind, orPhalænæ. Plums, Pease, Nuts,&c.produce some or otherIchneumon-Fly. That generated in thePlumis black, of a middle Size, itsBodynear ³⁄₁₀ Inch long, its Tail not much less, consisting of three Bristles, wherewith it conveys its Eggs into Fruits: ItsAntennæ, or Horns, long, slender, recurved; its Belly longish, tapering, small towards theThorax;Legsreddish;Wingsmembranaceous, thin and transparent, in Number 4, which is one Characteristic of theIchneumon Fly.ThePease Ichneumon-Fly, is very small, Wings large, reaching beyond thePodex;Antennælong;Alvusshort, shaped like an Heart, with the Point towards theAnus; it walketh and flieth slowly. No Tail appears as in the former; but they have one lieth hidden under the Belly, which they can at Pleasure bend back to pierce Pease when they are young and tender, and other Things also, as I have Reason to suspect, having met with this (as indeed the former two) in divers Vegetables.PearsandApplesI could never discover any Thing to breed in, but only the lesserPhalæna, about ⁴⁄₁₀ Inch long, whitish underneath; greyish brown above (dappled with brown Spots, inclining to a dirty Red) all but about a third Part at the End of the Wings, which is not grey, but brown, elegantly striped with wavey Lines, of a Gold Colour, as if gilt; its Head is small, with a Tuft of whitish brown in the Forehead;Antennæsmooth, moderately long. TheAureliaof this Moth is small, of a yellowish brown. I know not what Time they require for their Generation out of Boxes; but those I laid up inAugust, did not become Moths beforeJunefollowing.

ThePease Ichneumon-Fly, is very small, Wings large, reaching beyond thePodex;Antennælong;Alvusshort, shaped like an Heart, with the Point towards theAnus; it walketh and flieth slowly. No Tail appears as in the former; but they have one lieth hidden under the Belly, which they can at Pleasure bend back to pierce Pease when they are young and tender, and other Things also, as I have Reason to suspect, having met with this (as indeed the former two) in divers Vegetables.

PearsandApplesI could never discover any Thing to breed in, but only the lesserPhalæna, about ⁴⁄₁₀ Inch long, whitish underneath; greyish brown above (dappled with brown Spots, inclining to a dirty Red) all but about a third Part at the End of the Wings, which is not grey, but brown, elegantly striped with wavey Lines, of a Gold Colour, as if gilt; its Head is small, with a Tuft of whitish brown in the Forehead;Antennæsmooth, moderately long. TheAureliaof this Moth is small, of a yellowish brown. I know not what Time they require for their Generation out of Boxes; but those I laid up inAugust, did not become Moths beforeJunefollowing.

[e]There are many of thePhalænæandIchneumon-FlyTribes, that have their Generation on the Leaves or other Parts of Trees and Shrubs, too many to be here reckoned up. TheOakhath many very beautifulPhalænæ, bred in its convolved Leaves, white, green, yellow, brown spotted prettily, and neatly dappled, and many more besides; and its Buds afford a Place for Cases, and Balls of various Sorts, as shall be shewn hereafter; its Leaves expanded, minister to the Germination of globular, and other sphæroidal Balls, and flatThecæ, some like Hats, some like Buttons excavated in the Middle, and divers others such like Repositories, all belonging to theIchneumon-FlyKind. And not only theOak, but theMaplealso, theWhite-Thorn, theBriar,Privet, and indeed almost every Tree and Shrub.

[f]And as Trees and Shrubs, so Plants have their peculiar Insects. TheWhite-Butterflylays its voracious Offspring on Cabbage-Leaves; a very beautiful reddish ocellated one, its no less voracious black Off-spring of an horrid Aspect, on the Leaves of Nettles; as also doth a very beautiful, small, greenishIchneumon-Fly, in Cases on the Leaves of the same Plant: And to name no more (because it would be endless) the beautifulRagwort-Moth, whose upper Wings are brown, elegantly spotted with red and underwings edged with brown; these, I say, provide for their golden ring’dEruceupon theRagwort-Plant.

[g]Many, if not most Sort of Birds, are infested with a distinct Kind of Lice, very different from one another in Shape, Size,&c.For Figures and Descriptions of them, I shall refer toSignieur Redi of Insects. See alsoMoufet, L. 2.c. 23.These Lice lay their Nits among the Feathers of the respective Birds, where they are hatched and nourished; and asAristotlesaith, would destroy the Birds, particularlyPheasants, if they did not dust their Feathers.Loco infr. citat.

[h]And as Birds, so the several Sorts of Beasts have their peculiar Sorts of Lice; all distinct from the two Sorts infesting Man: Only theAss, they say, is free, because ourSaviourrode upon one, as some think; but I presume it is rather from the Passage inPliny, L. 11. c. 33. or ratherArist. Hist. Animal. L. 3. c. 31. who saith,Quibus pilus est, non carent eodem[Pediculo]excepto Asino, qui non Pediculo tantùm, verùm etiam Redivio immunis est.And a little before, speaking of those in Men, he shews what Constitutions are most subject to them, and instanceth inAlcmanthe Poet, andPherecydes Syriusthat died of thePthiriasis, or Lowly Disease. For which foul Distemper, if Medicines are desired,Moufet de Insect.p. 261. may be consulted. Who in the same Page hath this Observation,Animadverterunt nostrates——ubi Asores insulas à tergo reliquerint, Pediculos confestim omnes tabascere: atque ubi eas reviserint, iterum innumeros alios subitò oriri.Which Observation is confirmed by Dr.Stubs.Vid.Lowth. Abridg.V. 3. p. 558. And many Seamen have told me the same.

[i]Fishes, one would think, should be free from Lice, by Reason they live in the Waters, and are perpetually moving in, and brushing through them; but yet have their Sorts too.Besides which, I have frequently found great Numbers of long slender Worms in the Stomachs, and other Parts of Fish, particularlyCodfish, especially such as are poor; which Worms have work’d themselves deeply into the Coats and Flesh, so that they could nor easily be gotten out: SoAristotle, saith of some Fishes,Ballero & Tilloni Lumbricus, innascitur, qui debilitat,&c.Chalcis vitio infestatur diro, ut Pediculi sub Branchiis innati quàm multi interimant.Hist. An. L. 8. c. 20.

[i]Fishes, one would think, should be free from Lice, by Reason they live in the Waters, and are perpetually moving in, and brushing through them; but yet have their Sorts too.

Besides which, I have frequently found great Numbers of long slender Worms in the Stomachs, and other Parts of Fish, particularlyCodfish, especially such as are poor; which Worms have work’d themselves deeply into the Coats and Flesh, so that they could nor easily be gotten out: SoAristotle, saith of some Fishes,Ballero & Tilloni Lumbricus, innascitur, qui debilitat,&c.Chalcis vitio infestatur diro, ut Pediculi sub Branchiis innati quàm multi interimant.Hist. An. L. 8. c. 20.

[k]Of Insects bred in the Nose of Animals, those in the Nostrils ofSheepare remarkable. I have my self taken out not fewer at a Time than twenty or thirty rough Maggots, lying among theLaminæof the Nostrils. But I could never hatch any of them, and so know not what Animal they proceed from: But I have no great doubt, they are of theIchneumon-FlyKind; and not improbably of that with a long Tail, call’dTriseta, whose three Bristles seem very commodious for conveying its Eggs into deep Places.I have also seen a rough whitish Maggot, above two Inches within theIntestinum rectumof Horses, firmly adhering thereto, that the hard Dung did not rub off. I never could bring them to Perfection, but suspect theSide-Flyproceeds from it.

I have also seen a rough whitish Maggot, above two Inches within theIntestinum rectumof Horses, firmly adhering thereto, that the hard Dung did not rub off. I never could bring them to Perfection, but suspect theSide-Flyproceeds from it.

[l]In the Backs ofCows, in the Summer-Months, there are Maggots generated, which inEssexwe callWornils; which are first only a small Knot in the Skin; and I suppose no other than an Egg laid there by some Insect. By Degrees these Knots grow bigger, and contain in them a Maggot lying in a purulent Matter: They grow to be as large as the End of one’s Finger, and may be squeez’d out at a Hole they have always open: They are round and rough, and of a dirty White. With my utmost Endeavour and Vigilance, I could never discover the Animal they turn into; but as they are somewhat like, so may be the same as those inthe Note before.InPersiathere are very long slender Worms, bred in the Legs, and other Parts of Men’s Bodies, 6 or 7 Yards long. InPhilos. Trans.Mr.Dent, and Mr.Lewis, relate divers Examples ofWormstaken out of the Tongue, Gums, Nose, and other Parts, by a Woman atLeicester, which they were Eye-witnesses of. These, and divers others mention’d in theTransactions, may be seen together in Mr.Lowthorp’sAbridg.Vol. 3. p. 132.Narrat mihi vir fide dignus——Casp. Wendlandt——se in Poloniâ, puero cuidam rustico duorum annorum, Vermiculum album è palbebrâ extraxisse,——magnitudinis Erucæ.——Similem fere huic casum mihi[Schulzio]& D. Segero narravit hoc. Anno 1676. chirurgus noster Ant. Statlender, qui cuidam puero, ex Aure, extraxit Vermiculum talem, qualis in nucibus avellanis perforatis latitare solet, sed paulò majorem, coloris albissimi; alteri minores 5 ejusdem generis similiter ex Aure: Omnes aliquot horas supervixerunt——Vermiculos adhuc viventes oculis nostris vidimus.Ephem. Germ. T. 2. Obs. 24. ubi Vermiculi Icon. Many other Instances may be met with in the same Tome. Obs. 147, 148, 154.The Worms inDeerare mention’d often among ancient Writers.Aristotlesaith, Σκώληκας μεν τοι πάντες ἔχουσιν, ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ ζῶντας, &c.They[Deer]all have Live Worms in their Heads; bred under the Tongue, in a Cavity near theVertebra, on which the Head is plac’d; their Size not less than of the largest Maggots; they are bred all together, in number about twenty.Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 2. c. 15.To these Examples may be added the Generation of theIchneumon-Flyin the Bodies of Caterpillars, and otherNymphæof Insects. In many of which, that I have laid up to be hatch’d in Boxes, instead ofPapilios, &c. as I expected, I have found a great Number of smallIchneumon-Flies, whose Parent-Animal had wounded thoseNymphæ, and darted its Eggs into them, and so made them the Foster-Mother of its Young. More Particulars of this Way of Generation may be seen in the great Mr.Willughby’s Observations inPhilos. Trans.Nᵒ. 76. But concerning the farther Generation of this Insect, I have taken Notice of other Particulars in other places of these Notes.

InPersiathere are very long slender Worms, bred in the Legs, and other Parts of Men’s Bodies, 6 or 7 Yards long. InPhilos. Trans.Mr.Dent, and Mr.Lewis, relate divers Examples ofWormstaken out of the Tongue, Gums, Nose, and other Parts, by a Woman atLeicester, which they were Eye-witnesses of. These, and divers others mention’d in theTransactions, may be seen together in Mr.Lowthorp’sAbridg.Vol. 3. p. 132.

Narrat mihi vir fide dignus——Casp. Wendlandt——se in Poloniâ, puero cuidam rustico duorum annorum, Vermiculum album è palbebrâ extraxisse,——magnitudinis Erucæ.——Similem fere huic casum mihi[Schulzio]& D. Segero narravit hoc. Anno 1676. chirurgus noster Ant. Statlender, qui cuidam puero, ex Aure, extraxit Vermiculum talem, qualis in nucibus avellanis perforatis latitare solet, sed paulò majorem, coloris albissimi; alteri minores 5 ejusdem generis similiter ex Aure: Omnes aliquot horas supervixerunt——Vermiculos adhuc viventes oculis nostris vidimus.Ephem. Germ. T. 2. Obs. 24. ubi Vermiculi Icon. Many other Instances may be met with in the same Tome. Obs. 147, 148, 154.

The Worms inDeerare mention’d often among ancient Writers.Aristotlesaith, Σκώληκας μεν τοι πάντες ἔχουσιν, ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ ζῶντας, &c.They[Deer]all have Live Worms in their Heads; bred under the Tongue, in a Cavity near theVertebra, on which the Head is plac’d; their Size not less than of the largest Maggots; they are bred all together, in number about twenty.Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 2. c. 15.

To these Examples may be added the Generation of theIchneumon-Flyin the Bodies of Caterpillars, and otherNymphæof Insects. In many of which, that I have laid up to be hatch’d in Boxes, instead ofPapilios, &c. as I expected, I have found a great Number of smallIchneumon-Flies, whose Parent-Animal had wounded thoseNymphæ, and darted its Eggs into them, and so made them the Foster-Mother of its Young. More Particulars of this Way of Generation may be seen in the great Mr.Willughby’s Observations inPhilos. Trans.Nᵒ. 76. But concerning the farther Generation of this Insect, I have taken Notice of other Particulars in other places of these Notes.

[m]The Animals ordinarily bred in the Stomach and Guts, are the three Sorts of Worms call’dLati,Teretes, andAscarides; concerning which, it would be irksome to speak in Particular, and therefore I shall refer toMoufet, L. 2. c. 31, 32, 33. Dr.Tyson’s Anatomy of them in Mr.Lowthorp’sAbridg.V. 3. p. 121.Seignior Redi’sObs. and others that have written of them.And not onlyWorms, but other Creatures also are said to be found in the Stomach; Instances of which are so innumerable, that I shall only select a few related by Persons of the best Credit. And first of all, by some of our own Countrymen. Dr.Lister, (whose Credit and Judgment will hastily be question’d,) gives an Account of trueCaterpillars, vomited up by a Boy of nine Years old; and another odd Animal by a poor Man. Mr.Jessop, (another very judicious, curious and ingenious Gentleman,) sawHexapodsvomited up by a Girl; whichHexapodsliv’d and fed for five Weeks. SeeLowth.ib. p. 135.And to Foreigners, it is a very strange Story (but attested by Persons of great Repute,) ofCatharina Geileria, that dy’d inFeb. 1662, in the Hospital ofAltenburg, inGermany, who for twenty Years voided by Vomit and Stool,ToadsandLizzards, &c.Ephemer. Germ.T. 1. Obs. 103. See also the 109. Observation of a Kitten bred in the Stomach, and vomited up; of Whelps also, and other Animals, bred in like Manner. But I fear a Stretch of Fancy might help in some of those last Instances, in those Days when spontaneous Generation was held, when the Philosophers seem to have more slightly examined such Appearances than now they do. But for the breeding ofFrogsorToads, orLacertæ Aquaticæin the Stomach, when their Spawn happeneth to be drank, there is a Story in the secondTomeof theEphem. Germ.Obs. 56. that favours it,viz.In the Year 1667, aButcher’sMan going to buy some Lambs in the Spring, being thirsty, drank greedily of some standing Water, which a while after, caus’d great Pains in his Stomach, which grew worse and worse, and ended in dangerous Symptoms. At last he thought somewhat was alive in his Stomach, and after that, vomited up three live Toads; and so recover’d his former Health.Such another Story Dr.Sorbaittells, and avoucheth it seen with his own Eyes, of one that had a Toad came out of an Abscess, which came upon drinking foul Water.Obs.103.

And not onlyWorms, but other Creatures also are said to be found in the Stomach; Instances of which are so innumerable, that I shall only select a few related by Persons of the best Credit. And first of all, by some of our own Countrymen. Dr.Lister, (whose Credit and Judgment will hastily be question’d,) gives an Account of trueCaterpillars, vomited up by a Boy of nine Years old; and another odd Animal by a poor Man. Mr.Jessop, (another very judicious, curious and ingenious Gentleman,) sawHexapodsvomited up by a Girl; whichHexapodsliv’d and fed for five Weeks. SeeLowth.ib. p. 135.

And to Foreigners, it is a very strange Story (but attested by Persons of great Repute,) ofCatharina Geileria, that dy’d inFeb. 1662, in the Hospital ofAltenburg, inGermany, who for twenty Years voided by Vomit and Stool,ToadsandLizzards, &c.Ephemer. Germ.T. 1. Obs. 103. See also the 109. Observation of a Kitten bred in the Stomach, and vomited up; of Whelps also, and other Animals, bred in like Manner. But I fear a Stretch of Fancy might help in some of those last Instances, in those Days when spontaneous Generation was held, when the Philosophers seem to have more slightly examined such Appearances than now they do. But for the breeding ofFrogsorToads, orLacertæ Aquaticæin the Stomach, when their Spawn happeneth to be drank, there is a Story in the secondTomeof theEphem. Germ.Obs. 56. that favours it,viz.In the Year 1667, aButcher’sMan going to buy some Lambs in the Spring, being thirsty, drank greedily of some standing Water, which a while after, caus’d great Pains in his Stomach, which grew worse and worse, and ended in dangerous Symptoms. At last he thought somewhat was alive in his Stomach, and after that, vomited up three live Toads; and so recover’d his former Health.

Such another Story Dr.Sorbaittells, and avoucheth it seen with his own Eyes, of one that had a Toad came out of an Abscess, which came upon drinking foul Water.Obs.103.

[n]Not only in the Guts, and in the Flesh; but in many other Parts of the Body, Worms have been discover’d. One was voided by Urine, by Mr.Mat. Milford, suppos’d to have come from the Kidneys.Lowth.ib. p. 135. More such ExamplesMoufettells of.Ibid.So theVermes Cucurbitiniare very common in the Vessels in Sheeps Livers: And Dr.Listertells of them, found in the Kidney of a Dog, and thinks that the Snakes and Toads,&c.said to be found in Animals Bodies, may be nothing else.Lowth.ib. p. 120. Nay, more than all this: In Dr.Bern. Verzascha’s sixth Observation, there are divers Instances of Worms bred in theBrainof Man. One, a patient of his, troubled with a violent Headach, and an itching about the Nostrils, and frequent Sneezing; who, with the Use of a Sneezing-Powder, voided a Worm, with a great deal of Snot from his Nose. A like Instance he gives fromBartholine, of a Worm voided from the Nose ofO. W.which he guesseth was the famousOlaus Wormius: Another, from a Country Woman ofDietmarsh; and others inTulpius,F. Hildanus,Schenchius, &c. These Worms he thinks are undoubtedly bred in the Brain: But what way they can come from thence, I can’t tell. Wherefore I rather think, they are such Worms as are mentioned inNote (k), and even that Worm that was actually found in the Brain of theParis Girl(when opened) I guess might be laid in theLaminæof the Nostrils, by some of theIchneumon, or other Insect Kind, and might gnaw its way into the Brain, through theOs cribiforme. Of this he tells us fromBartholine,Tandem cùm tabida obiisset, statim aperto cranio præsentes Medici totam cerebelli substantiam, quæ ad dexterum vergit, à reliquo corpore sejunctam, nigrâque tunicâ involutam deprehenderunt: hæc tunica ruptæ, latentem Vermem vivum, & pilosum, duobus punctis splendidis loco oculorum prodidit, ejusdem fere molis cum reliquâ Cerebri portione, qui duarum horaram spacio supervixit.B. Verzas. Obs. Medicæ, p. 16.Hildanustells us such another Story,viz.Filius Theod. aust der Roulen, Avunculi mei, diuturno vexabatur dolore capitis.——Deinde febriculâ & sternutatione exortâ, ruptus est Abscessus circa os cribrosum——& Vermis prorepsit.By his Figure of it, the Maggot was an Inch long, and full of Bristles.Fabri Hildan. Cent.1. Obs.Galenus Wierus(Physician to thePrinc. Jul. & Cleve) he saith, told him, that he had, at divers Times, found Worms in theGall-bladderin Persons he had opened atDusseldorp. Id. ib. Obs. 60.

Hildanustells us such another Story,viz.Filius Theod. aust der Roulen, Avunculi mei, diuturno vexabatur dolore capitis.——Deinde febriculâ & sternutatione exortâ, ruptus est Abscessus circa os cribrosum——& Vermis prorepsit.By his Figure of it, the Maggot was an Inch long, and full of Bristles.Fabri Hildan. Cent.1. Obs.

Galenus Wierus(Physician to thePrinc. Jul. & Cleve) he saith, told him, that he had, at divers Times, found Worms in theGall-bladderin Persons he had opened atDusseldorp. Id. ib. Obs. 60.

[o]See beforeBook IV. Chap. 13. Note (c).

[p]Some Insects lay up their Eggs in Clusters, as in Holes of Flesh, and such Places, where it is necessary they should be crowded together; which, no question, prevents their being too much dried up in dry Places, and promotes their hatching. But,

[q]As for such as are not to be clustered up, great Order is used. I have seen upon the Posts and Sides of Windows, little round Eggs, resembling small Pearl, which produced small hairy Caterpillars, that were very neatly and orderly laid. And to name no more, theWhite Butterflylays its neat Eggs on the Cabbage Leaves in good Order, always gluing one certain End of the Egg to the Leaf. I call them neat Eggs, because if we view them in a Microscope, we shall find them very curiously furrowed, and handsomely made and adorned.

[r]By Reason it would be endless to specify the various Generation of Insects in the Water, I shall therefore (because it is little observed) raisePliny’s Instance of theGnat, a mean and contemned Animal, but a notable Instance of Nature’s Work, as he saith.The first Thing considerable in the Generation of this Insect is (for the Size of the Animal) its vastSpawn, being some of them above an Inch long, and half a quarter Diameter; made to float in the Waters, and tied to some Stick, Stone, or other fix’d Thing in the Waters, by a small Stem, or Stalk. In this gelatine, transparent Spawn, the Eggs are neatly laid; in some Spawns in a single, in some in a double spiral Line, running round from end to end, as inFig. 9, and 10; and in some transversly, asFig. 8.When the Eggs are by the Heat of the Sun, and Warmth of the Season hatched into small Maggots, these Maggots descend to the bottom, and by means of some of the gelatine Matter of the Spawn (which they take along with them) they stick to Stones, and other Bodies at the bottom, and there make themselves little Cases or Cells, which they creep into, and out of at Pleasure, until they are arrived to a more matureNympha-State, and can swim about here and there, to seek for what Food they have occasion; at which Time, they are a kind of Red-worms, above half an Inch long, as inFig. 11.Thus far this mean Insect is a good Instance of the divine Providence towards it. But if we farther consider, and compare the three States it undergoes after it is hatched, we shall find yet greater Signals of the Creator’s Management, even in these meanest of Creatures. The three States I mean, are itsNympha-VermicularState, itsAurelia, andMature-State, all as different as to Shape and Accoutrements, as if the Insect was three different Animals. In itsVermicular-State, it is a Red-Maggot, as I said, and hath a Mouth and other Parts accommodated to Food: In itsAurelia-State it hath no such Parts, because it then subsists without Food; but in itsMature,Gnat-State, it hath a curious well-made Spear, to wound and suck the Blood of other Animals. In itsVermicular-State, it hath a long Worm-like Body, and something analogous to Fins or Feathers, standing erect near its Tail, and running parallel with the Body, by means of which resisting the Waters, it is enabled to swim about by Curvations, or flapping its Body, side-ways, this way and that, as inFig. 12.But in itsAurelia-State, it hath a quite different Body, with aClub-Head(in which the Head,Thorax, and Wings of theGnatare inclosed) a slenderAlvus, and a neatfinny Tail, standing at right Angles with the Body, quite contrary to what it was before; by which means, instead of easy flapping side-ways, it swims by rapid, brisk Jirks, the quite contrary way; as is in some measure represented inFig. 13.But when it becomes aGnat, no finny Tail, no Club-Head, but all is made in the most accurate manner for Flight and Motion in the Air, as before it was for the Waters.

The first Thing considerable in the Generation of this Insect is (for the Size of the Animal) its vastSpawn, being some of them above an Inch long, and half a quarter Diameter; made to float in the Waters, and tied to some Stick, Stone, or other fix’d Thing in the Waters, by a small Stem, or Stalk. In this gelatine, transparent Spawn, the Eggs are neatly laid; in some Spawns in a single, in some in a double spiral Line, running round from end to end, as inFig. 9, and 10; and in some transversly, asFig. 8.

When the Eggs are by the Heat of the Sun, and Warmth of the Season hatched into small Maggots, these Maggots descend to the bottom, and by means of some of the gelatine Matter of the Spawn (which they take along with them) they stick to Stones, and other Bodies at the bottom, and there make themselves little Cases or Cells, which they creep into, and out of at Pleasure, until they are arrived to a more matureNympha-State, and can swim about here and there, to seek for what Food they have occasion; at which Time, they are a kind of Red-worms, above half an Inch long, as inFig. 11.

Thus far this mean Insect is a good Instance of the divine Providence towards it. But if we farther consider, and compare the three States it undergoes after it is hatched, we shall find yet greater Signals of the Creator’s Management, even in these meanest of Creatures. The three States I mean, are itsNympha-VermicularState, itsAurelia, andMature-State, all as different as to Shape and Accoutrements, as if the Insect was three different Animals. In itsVermicular-State, it is a Red-Maggot, as I said, and hath a Mouth and other Parts accommodated to Food: In itsAurelia-State it hath no such Parts, because it then subsists without Food; but in itsMature,Gnat-State, it hath a curious well-made Spear, to wound and suck the Blood of other Animals. In itsVermicular-State, it hath a long Worm-like Body, and something analogous to Fins or Feathers, standing erect near its Tail, and running parallel with the Body, by means of which resisting the Waters, it is enabled to swim about by Curvations, or flapping its Body, side-ways, this way and that, as inFig. 12.

But in itsAurelia-State, it hath a quite different Body, with aClub-Head(in which the Head,Thorax, and Wings of theGnatare inclosed) a slenderAlvus, and a neatfinny Tail, standing at right Angles with the Body, quite contrary to what it was before; by which means, instead of easy flapping side-ways, it swims by rapid, brisk Jirks, the quite contrary way; as is in some measure represented inFig. 13.But when it becomes aGnat, no finny Tail, no Club-Head, but all is made in the most accurate manner for Flight and Motion in the Air, as before it was for the Waters.

[s]SeeBook IV. Chap. 13. Notes (n), (o).

[t]Thus the Mouths and other Parts of theIchneumon-WaspsinBook IV. Chap. 13. Note (t).So the Feet of theGryllotalpa,ibid.Note (s).

[u]See the last cited Places,Note (o).

[w]Of the textrine Art of theSpider, and its Parts serving to that Purpose, see the last cited Place,Note (x).Besides these,Caterpillars, and divers other Insects, can emit Threads, or Webs for their Use. In this theirNympha-State, they secure themselves from falling, and let themselves down from the Boughs of Trees, and other high Places, with one of these Threads. And in the Cases they weave, they secure themselves in theirAurelia-State.And not only the Off-spring of thePhalæna-Tribe, but there are some of theIchneumon-FlyKind also, endowed with this textrine Art. Of these I have met with two Sorts; one that spun a Milk-white, long, round, silken Web, as big as the top of ones Fingers, not hollow within, as many are, but filled throughout with Silk. These are woven round Bents, Stalks of Ribwort, &c. in Meadows. The other is a lump of many yellow, silken Cases, sticking confusedly together on Posts, under Cole-worts,&c.These Webs contain in them, small, whitish Maggots; which turn to a small, black,Ichneumon-Fly, with long, capillaryAntennæ; Tan-coloured Legs; long Wings reaching beyond their Body, with a black Spot near the middle; theAlvus, like an Heart; and in some, a small setaceous Tail. Some of these Flies were of a shining, beautiful green Colour. I could not perceive any Difference, at least, not specifical, between the Flies coming from those two Productions.

[w]Of the textrine Art of theSpider, and its Parts serving to that Purpose, see the last cited Place,Note (x).

Besides these,Caterpillars, and divers other Insects, can emit Threads, or Webs for their Use. In this theirNympha-State, they secure themselves from falling, and let themselves down from the Boughs of Trees, and other high Places, with one of these Threads. And in the Cases they weave, they secure themselves in theirAurelia-State.

And not only the Off-spring of thePhalæna-Tribe, but there are some of theIchneumon-FlyKind also, endowed with this textrine Art. Of these I have met with two Sorts; one that spun a Milk-white, long, round, silken Web, as big as the top of ones Fingers, not hollow within, as many are, but filled throughout with Silk. These are woven round Bents, Stalks of Ribwort, &c. in Meadows. The other is a lump of many yellow, silken Cases, sticking confusedly together on Posts, under Cole-worts,&c.These Webs contain in them, small, whitish Maggots; which turn to a small, black,Ichneumon-Fly, with long, capillaryAntennæ; Tan-coloured Legs; long Wings reaching beyond their Body, with a black Spot near the middle; theAlvus, like an Heart; and in some, a small setaceous Tail. Some of these Flies were of a shining, beautiful green Colour. I could not perceive any Difference, at least, not specifical, between the Flies coming from those two Productions.

[x]I have often admired howWasps,Hornets,Ichneumon-Wasps, and other Insects that gather dry Materials for building their Nests, have found a proper matter to cement and glue their Combs, and line their Cells; which we find always sufficiently context and firm. But in all Probability, this useful Material is in their own Bodies; as ’tis in theTinea vestivora, theCadew Worm, and divers others.Goedartobserves of hisEruca,Num.xx. 6. that fed uponSallow-Leaves, that it made its Cell of the comminuted Leaves, glued together with its own Spittle,hæc pulveris aut arenæ instar comminuit, ac pituitoso quodam sui corporis succo ita maceravit, ut inde accommodatum subeundæ mutationi instanti locum sibi extruxerit. Domuncula hæc à communi Salicum ligno nihil differre videbatur, nisi quòd longè esset durior, adeò ut cultro vix disrumpi posset.

[y]An ingenious Gentlewoman of my Acquaintance, Wife to a learned Physician, taking much Pleasure to keep Silk-Worms, had once the Curiosity to draw out one of the oval Cases, which the Silk-Worm spins——into all the Silken Wire it was made up of, which, to the great Wonder as well of her Husband, as her self,——appeared to be, by measure, a great deal above 300 Yards, and yet weighed but two Grains and an half.Boyl Subtil. of Effluv. ch. 2.

[z]Since my penning this, I have met with the most sagaciousMalpighi’s Account ofGalls, &c. and find his Descriptions to be exceedingly accurate and true, having traced my self many of the Productions he hath mentioned. But I findItalyandSicily(his Bookde Gallisbeing published long after he was made Professor ofMessina) more luxuriant in such Productions thanEngland, at least, than the Parts aboutUpminster(where I live) are. For many, if not most of those about us, are taken Notice of by him, and several others besides that I never met with; although I have for many Years as critically observed all the Excrescences, and other morbid Tumors of Vegetables, as is almost possible, and do believe that few of them have escaped me.As to the Method how thoseGallsandBallsare produced, the most simple, and consequently the most easy to be accounted for, is that in the Gems of Oak, which may be calledSquamous-Oak-Cones,Capitula squamata, inMalpighi: Whose Description not exactly answering ourEnglish-Conesin divers Respects, I shall therefore pass his by, and shew only what I have observed my self concerning them.TheseConesare, in outward Appearance, perfectly like the Gems, only vastly bigger; and indeed they are no other than the Gems, encreased in Bigness, which naturally ought to be pushed out in Length: The Cause of which Obstruction of the Vegetation is this: Into the very Heart of the young tender Gem or Bud (which begins to be turgid inJune, and to shoot towards the latter end of that Month, or beginning of the next; into this, I say) the Parent-Insect thrusts one or more Eggs, and not perhaps without some venomous Ichor therewith. This Egg soon becomes a Maggot, which eats it self a little Cell in the very Heart or Pith of the Gem, which is the Rudiment of the Branch, together with its Leaves and Fruit, as shall be hereafter shewn. The Branch being thus wholly destroyed, or at least its Vegetation being obstructed, the Sap that was to nourish it, is diverted to the remaining Parts of the Bud, which are only the scaly Teguments; which by these Means grow large and flourishing, and become a Covering to the Insect-Case, as before they were to the tender Branch and its Appendage.TheCaselying within this Cone, is at first but small, as the Maggot included in it is, but by degrees, as the Maggot increaseth, so it grows bigger, to about the Size of a large white Pease, long and round, resembling the Shape of a small Acorn.TheInsectit self, is (according to the modern Insectologers) of theIchneumon-FlyKind; with four MembranaceousWings, reaching a little beyond the Body, articulatedHorns, a largeThorax, bigger than the Belly; theBellyshort and conical; much like the Heart of Animals: TheLegspartly whitish, partly black. TheLengthof the Body from Head to Tail, about ²⁄₁₀ of an Inch; itsColour, a very beautiful shining Green, in some tending to a dark Copper-Colour. Figures both of the Cones, Cases, and Insects, may be seen amongMalpighi’s Cuts of Galls, Tab. 13. and Tab. 20. Fig. 72. which Fig. 72. exhibits well enough some others of theGall-Insects, but itsThoraxis somewhat too short for ours.

As to the Method how thoseGallsandBallsare produced, the most simple, and consequently the most easy to be accounted for, is that in the Gems of Oak, which may be calledSquamous-Oak-Cones,Capitula squamata, inMalpighi: Whose Description not exactly answering ourEnglish-Conesin divers Respects, I shall therefore pass his by, and shew only what I have observed my self concerning them.

TheseConesare, in outward Appearance, perfectly like the Gems, only vastly bigger; and indeed they are no other than the Gems, encreased in Bigness, which naturally ought to be pushed out in Length: The Cause of which Obstruction of the Vegetation is this: Into the very Heart of the young tender Gem or Bud (which begins to be turgid inJune, and to shoot towards the latter end of that Month, or beginning of the next; into this, I say) the Parent-Insect thrusts one or more Eggs, and not perhaps without some venomous Ichor therewith. This Egg soon becomes a Maggot, which eats it self a little Cell in the very Heart or Pith of the Gem, which is the Rudiment of the Branch, together with its Leaves and Fruit, as shall be hereafter shewn. The Branch being thus wholly destroyed, or at least its Vegetation being obstructed, the Sap that was to nourish it, is diverted to the remaining Parts of the Bud, which are only the scaly Teguments; which by these Means grow large and flourishing, and become a Covering to the Insect-Case, as before they were to the tender Branch and its Appendage.

TheCaselying within this Cone, is at first but small, as the Maggot included in it is, but by degrees, as the Maggot increaseth, so it grows bigger, to about the Size of a large white Pease, long and round, resembling the Shape of a small Acorn.

TheInsectit self, is (according to the modern Insectologers) of theIchneumon-FlyKind; with four MembranaceousWings, reaching a little beyond the Body, articulatedHorns, a largeThorax, bigger than the Belly; theBellyshort and conical; much like the Heart of Animals: TheLegspartly whitish, partly black. TheLengthof the Body from Head to Tail, about ²⁄₁₀ of an Inch; itsColour, a very beautiful shining Green, in some tending to a dark Copper-Colour. Figures both of the Cones, Cases, and Insects, may be seen amongMalpighi’s Cuts of Galls, Tab. 13. and Tab. 20. Fig. 72. which Fig. 72. exhibits well enough some others of theGall-Insects, but itsThoraxis somewhat too short for ours.

[aa]Not only the Willow, and some other Trees, but Plants also, asNettles,Ground-Ivy, &c. have Cases produced on their Leaves, by the Injection of the Eggs of anIchneumon-Fly. I have observed those Cases always to grow in, or adjoining to some Rib of the Leaf, and their Production I conceive to be thus,viz.The Parent-Insect, with its stiff setaceous Tail, terebrates the Rib of the Leaf, when tender, and makes Way for its Egg into the very Pith or Heart thereof, and probably lays in therewith, some proper Juice of its Body, to pervert the regular Vegetation of it. From this Wound arises a small Excrescence, which (when the Egg is hatched into a Maggot) grows bigger and bigger, as the Maggot increases, swelling on each Side the Leaf between the two Membranes, and extending it self into the parenchymous Part thereof, until it is grown as big as two Grains of Wheat. In this Case lies a small, white, rough Maggot, which turns to anAurelia, and afterwards to a very beautiful green, smallIchneumon-Fly.

[bb]What I suspected my self, I find confirmed byMalpighi, who in his exact and true Description of the Fly bred in theOaken Galls, saith,Non sat fuit naturæ tam miro artificio Terebram seu Limam condidisse; sed inflicto vulnere, vel excitato foramine infundendum exinde liquorem intra Terebram condidit: quare fractâ per transversam muscarum terebrâ frequentissimè, vivente animali, guttæ aliquot diaphani humoris effluunt.And a little after, he confirms, by ocular Observation, what he imagin’d before, viz.Semel prope Junii finem vidi Muscam, qualem superiùs delineavi, insidentum quercinæ gemmæ, adhuc germinanti; hærebat etenim foliola stabili ab apice hiantis gemmæ erumpenti; & convulso in arcum corpore, terebram evaginabat, ipsamque sensam immittebat; & tumefacto ventre circa terebræ radicem tumorem excitabat, quem interpolatis vicibus remittebat. In folio igitur, avulsà Muscâ, minima & diaphana reperii ejecta ova, simillima iis, quæ adhuc in tubis supererant. Non licuit iterum idem admirari spectaculum,&c.Somewhat like this, whichMalpighisaw, I had the good Fortune to see my self once some Years ago: And that was, the beautiful, shiningOak-Ball Ichneumonstrike itsTerebræinto an Oak-Apple divers Times, no doubt to lay its Eggs therein. And hence I apprehend we see manyVermiculestowards the Outside of many of the Oak-Apples, which I guess were not what the Primitive Insects laid up in the Gem, from which the Oak-Apple had its Rise, but some other supervenient, additional Insects, laid in after the Apple was grown, and whilst it was tender and soft.

Somewhat like this, whichMalpighisaw, I had the good Fortune to see my self once some Years ago: And that was, the beautiful, shiningOak-Ball Ichneumonstrike itsTerebræinto an Oak-Apple divers Times, no doubt to lay its Eggs therein. And hence I apprehend we see manyVermiculestowards the Outside of many of the Oak-Apples, which I guess were not what the Primitive Insects laid up in the Gem, from which the Oak-Apple had its Rise, but some other supervenient, additional Insects, laid in after the Apple was grown, and whilst it was tender and soft.

[cc]TheAleppo-Galls, wherewith we make Ink, may be reckoned of this Number, being hard, and no other than Cases of Insects which are bred in them; who when come to Maturity, gnaw their Way out of them; which is the Cause of those little Holes observable in them. Of the Insects bred in them, seePhilos. Transact.Nᵒ. 245. Of this Number also are those little smooth Cases, as big as large Pepper-Corns, growing close to the Ribs under Oaken-Leaves, globous, but flattish; at first touched with a blushing red, afterwards growing brown; hollow within, and an hard thin Shell without. In this lieth commonly a rough, white Maggot, which becomes a little long winged, blackIchneumon-Fly, that eats a little Hole in the Side of the Gall, and so gets out.

[dd]For a Sample of the tender Balls, I shall choose the globous Ball, as round, and some as big as small Musket-Bullets, growing close to the Ribs, under Oaken-Leaves, of a greenish yellowish Colour, with a blush of red; their Skin smooth, with frequent Risings therein. Inwardly they are very soft and spongy; and in the very Center is a Case with a white Maggot therein, which becomes anIchneumon-Fly, not much unlike the last. As to this Gall, there is one Thing I have observed somewhat peculiar, and I may say providential, and that is, that the Fly lies all the Winter in these Balls in its Infantile-State, and comes not to its Maturity till the following Spring. In the Autumn, and Winter, these Balls fall down with their Leaves to the Ground, and the Insect inclosed in them is there fenced against the Winter Frosts, partly by other Leaves falling pretty thick upon them, and especially by the thick, parenchymous, spongy Walls, afforded by theGallsthemselves.Another Sample shall be the largeOak-Balls, calledOak-Apples, growing in the Place of the Buds, whose Generation, Vegetation and Figure, may be seen inMalpig. de Gallis, p. 24. and Tab. 10. Fig. 33,&c.Out of these Galls, he saith various Species of Flies come, but he names only two, and they are the only two I ever saw come out of them:Frequenter(saith he)subnigræ sunt muscæ brevi munitæ terebrâ. Inter has aliquæ observantur aureæ, levi viridis tincturâ suffusæ, oblongâ pollentes terebrâ.These two differently coloured Flies, I take to be no other than Male and Female of the same Species. I have not observed Tails (which are theirTerebræ) in all, asMalpighiseems to intimate: Perhaps they were hid in theirThecæ, and I could not discover them: But I rather think there were none, and that those were the Males: But in others, I have observed long, recurvous Tails, longer than their whole Bodies. And these I take to be the Females. And in theOak-Applesthemselves, I have seen theAureliæ, some with, some without Tails. And I must confess, ’twas not without Admiration as well as Pleasure, that I have seen with what exact Neatness and Artifice, the Tail hath been wrapt about theAurelia, whereby it is secured from either annoying the Insect, or being hurt it self.

Another Sample shall be the largeOak-Balls, calledOak-Apples, growing in the Place of the Buds, whose Generation, Vegetation and Figure, may be seen inMalpig. de Gallis, p. 24. and Tab. 10. Fig. 33,&c.Out of these Galls, he saith various Species of Flies come, but he names only two, and they are the only two I ever saw come out of them:Frequenter(saith he)subnigræ sunt muscæ brevi munitæ terebrâ. Inter has aliquæ observantur aureæ, levi viridis tincturâ suffusæ, oblongâ pollentes terebrâ.These two differently coloured Flies, I take to be no other than Male and Female of the same Species. I have not observed Tails (which are theirTerebræ) in all, asMalpighiseems to intimate: Perhaps they were hid in theirThecæ, and I could not discover them: But I rather think there were none, and that those were the Males: But in others, I have observed long, recurvous Tails, longer than their whole Bodies. And these I take to be the Females. And in theOak-Applesthemselves, I have seen theAureliæ, some with, some without Tails. And I must confess, ’twas not without Admiration as well as Pleasure, that I have seen with what exact Neatness and Artifice, the Tail hath been wrapt about theAurelia, whereby it is secured from either annoying the Insect, or being hurt it self.

[ee]See beforeNote (z).

[ff]As inthe preceding Note.

[gg]Of the rough or hairy Excrescences, those on theBriar, orDog-Rose, are a good Instance. TheseSpongiolæ villosæ, as Mr.Ray,Gallæ rumosæ, as Dr.Malpighicalls them, are thus accounted for by the latter;Ex copiosis relictis ovis ita turbatur affluens[Rubi]succus, ut strumosa fiant complura tubercula simul confusè congesta, quæ utriculorum seriebus, & fibrarum implicatione contexta, ramosas propagines germinant, ita ut minima quasi sylva appareat. Qualibet propago ramos, hinc inde villosos edit. Hinc inde pili pariter crumpunt,&c.These Balls are a safe Repository to the Insect all the Winter in its Vermicular-State. For the Eggs laid up, and hatched the Summer before, do not come to mature Insects until the Spring following, as Mr.Rayrightly observes inCat. Cantab.As to theInsectsthemselves, they are manifestlyIchneumon-Flies, having four Wings, theirAlvusthick and large towards the Tail; and tapering up till it is small and slender at its setting on to theThorax. But theAlvior Bellies are not alike in all, though coloured alike. In some they are as is now described, and longer, withoutTerebræ, or Tails; in some shorter with Tails: And in some yet shorter, and thick, like the Belly of theAnt, or the Heart of Animals, as in those before,Note (z).But for a farther Description of them, I shall refer to Mr.Ray,Cat. Plant. circa Cantab.underRosa Sylvest.

These Balls are a safe Repository to the Insect all the Winter in its Vermicular-State. For the Eggs laid up, and hatched the Summer before, do not come to mature Insects until the Spring following, as Mr.Rayrightly observes inCat. Cantab.

As to theInsectsthemselves, they are manifestlyIchneumon-Flies, having four Wings, theirAlvusthick and large towards the Tail; and tapering up till it is small and slender at its setting on to theThorax. But theAlvior Bellies are not alike in all, though coloured alike. In some they are as is now described, and longer, withoutTerebræ, or Tails; in some shorter with Tails: And in some yet shorter, and thick, like the Belly of theAnt, or the Heart of Animals, as in those before,Note (z).But for a farther Description of them, I shall refer to Mr.Ray,Cat. Plant. circa Cantab.underRosa Sylvest.

[hh]It being an Instance somewhat out of the Way, I shall pitch upon it for an Example here,viz.Thegouty Swellingsin the Body, and the Branches of theBlackberry-Bush; of whichMalpighihath given us two good Cuts in Tab. 17. Fig. 62. The Cause of these is manifestly from the Eggs of Insects laid in (whilst the Shoot is young and tender) as far as the Pith, and in some Places not so deep; Which for the Reasons before-mentioned, makes the young Shoots tumify, and grow knotty and gouty.The Insect that comes from hence is of the former Tribe, a small, shining blackIchneumon-Fly, about a tenth of an Inch long; with jointed, red, capillary Horns, four long Wings, reaching beyond the Body, a largeThorax, red Legs, and a short, heart-like Belly. They hop like Fleas. The Males are less than the Females; are very venereous, endeavouring aCoïtin the very Box in which they are hatch’d; getting up on the Females, and tickling and thumping them with their Breeches and Horns, to excite them to Venery.

The Insect that comes from hence is of the former Tribe, a small, shining blackIchneumon-Fly, about a tenth of an Inch long; with jointed, red, capillary Horns, four long Wings, reaching beyond the Body, a largeThorax, red Legs, and a short, heart-like Belly. They hop like Fleas. The Males are less than the Females; are very venereous, endeavouring aCoïtin the very Box in which they are hatch’d; getting up on the Females, and tickling and thumping them with their Breeches and Horns, to excite them to Venery.

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