10 Insects. 2 A. Mette Sculp The Assemblage of Rings in one and the fame Skin. 2 The Sc Spiders &c. 4The Teeth or Sans. 5Infects fufpended by the or Antenna. 8 The Horns or Antenna in the form of a Com "The Cafe of the Wings. Their Cloath ing. Their Arms of fenfive and defenfive. in them a Wisdom, which far from neglecting them, has been particularly careful to cloath, arm, and accommodate them with all the Inftruments neceffary to their condition. This Wisdom has arrayed them, even to a Degree of Complaifance, by laying out fuch a Profufion of Azure, Green, and Vermilion, Gold, Silver, and Diamonds, Fringe and Plumage upon their Robes, their Wings, and the Ornament of their Heads. We need only behold the Ichneumon, Spanish Dragon, and Butterflies, nay even a Caterpillar itself, to astonish us with this Magnificence. The fame Sagacity, which has been fo liberal in their Ornaments, has completely armed and put them into a Condition of making war, and affaulting their Enemies, as well as defending themfelves. If they don't always feize the Prey they watch for orefcape what is. prejudicial to them, they are at leaft furnished with the most proper Abilities for fucceeding in their Defigns. The Generality of them are provided with strong Teeth, a double Saw, a Sting with two Darts, or vigorous Claws, and a fcaly Coat of Mail covers and defends their whole Body. Thofe, whofe Nature is moft delicate, are fortified with a thick Skin, which weakens thofe Frictions and Encounters that might injure them. The Safety of the greatest Part of them confifts in the Agility of their Flight, and by that means they evade the Danger that threatens them: Some by the Affiftance of their Wings, others by a Thread that fupports them, when, from the Leaves on which they live, they fuddenly throw themfelves at a Distance from their Enemy; and others by the String of their hind Feet, whofe Elafticity immediately launches them out of the Reach of Infult. In a word, when they are deftitute of Force, Stratagem fupplies its Place: And the perpetual war we fee among Animals, furnishes most of them with their ordinary Subfiftence, and at the same time preferves a fufficient Number of the Species, to perpetuate the Individuals. Without doubt, you are furprized to fee Nature fo careful in the Equipage and Attire of these Infects we despise; but your Wonder would be different, were you to take a particular Survey of the Organs fhe has given them B 3 Their Organ and Implements for for their Support, and the Implements each of them works with, according to their different Profeffions, for every one has its own. Some fpin, and have a couple of Diftaffs, and Fingers to form their Thread; others make Nets and Lawn, and for that purpose are provided with Shuttles and Clews of Thread. There are fome who build in Wood and are therefore supplied with two Bills for cutting their Timber. Others make Wax, and have their Shops furnished with Rakers, Ladles, and Trowels. Most of them have a Trunk, more wonderful for its various Ufes than the Elephant's, and which, to fome, serves as an Alembic, for the Distillation of a Syrup, Man could never imitate. To others it performs the Office of a Tongue; many employ it as a Drill for piercing; and the Generality of them ufe it as a Reed for Suction. Several, whose Heads are fortified with a Trunk, a Saw, or a couple of Pincers, carry in the other Extremity of their Bodies an Auger, which they lengthen and turn at Difcretion; and by that means dig commodious Habitations for their Families in the Heart of Fruits, under the Bark of Trees, in the SubRance of Leaves or Gems, and frequently in the hardest Wood itfelf. There are few who have excellent Eyes, but have likewife the additional Benefit of a couple of Horns, or Antennæ, that defend them, and which, as the Animal moves along, especially in the Dark, make a Trial of the Way, and difcover, by a quick and delicate Sensation, what would defile, drown, or endanger them. If thefe Horns are moistened in any injurious Liquor, or bend by the Refiftance of a folid Body, the Animal is warned of the Danger, and turns another Way. Some of thefe Horns are compofed of fmall Knots, like those on the Heads of Cray-fifh; others terminate in the Form of a Comb; a third Sort are covered with little Plumes, or tufted with Velvet, in order to be preferved from Humility. Befides thefe, and many other Affiftances, which vary according to the Species, moft Infects have alfo the Gift of Flying: Some, as the Dragon fly, have four large Wings, which correfpond with the Length of their Bodies; others, whofe Wings are of that exquifite Fineness that the leaft Friction would tear them, have two strong Scales, which they raise and fall like a Pair of Wings, but which are no more than a Cafe for the real ones. You will find Beetles, May-birds, and Spanish flies furnished with thefe Cafes. You may also observe Numbers who have only two Wings, but under these you will perceive as many Bladders, or hollow Veffels, which are thought by fome* to be a couple of Weights, or a kind of Counterpoife, by the Affiftance of which the Infect fupports itself against the Agitation of the Air, and continues in an Equilibrium, like a Rope-dancer, who poises himself with a Pole that has a Weight of Lead at each Extremity; though, perhaps, thefe hollow Veffels may be judged to be two Caftenets, which the Infects ftrike with their Wings for their Diverfion, or elfe to make themselves known to one another by the buzzing Sound. Count. I fee, Sir, by your attentive Air, that we shall make you a Philofopher. Chevalier. As your Lordship does me the Favour to let me continue here for fome time, I fhall be Master of a Treasure at your Expence. With your Permiffion I fhall ask you an hundred Questions every Day. I am preparing to make the whole Clafs of Animals pass in Review before us. I fhall be perpetually breaking in upon you, and don't intend to give you a Moment's Reft, 'till I have robbed you of all your Knowledge. Count. You may begin your Attack when you please; we shall endeavour to defend ourselves. Chevalier. In the first place, I fhall beg the favour of your Lordship, after our Walk, or when it better fuits you, to let me fee, in a Microscope, thefe Habits, Arms, and Implements, of which you have told me fuch Wonders. According to your Defcription, Infects are as gayly dreffed as ourselves, and their Tools as neatly made, as those of our best Mechanicks. Prior. We may very well compare, as you do, Sir, the Inftruments and Habits of Infects with our own, but then it must only be in order to discover the Inaccuracy of our Works, and the Richness, the Elegance, and infinite Superiority that shine in those of Nature Obferve the Head of a common Fly in a Magnifying glafs †: One can never be fatiated with feeing fuch a Profufion of Gold and * Derham, Phyf. Theol. 1. viii. B4 Pearls |