Its belly was large, as it is usually in all Insects, and extended into
nine lengths or partitions, each of which was cover'd with round armed
rings or shells; six of which, OPQRST were transparent, and divers kinds of
_Peristaltick_ motions might be very easily perceiv'd, whil'st the Animal
was alive, but especially a small cleer white part V, seemed to beat like
the heart of a larger Animal. The last three divisios, WXY, were cover'd
with black and opacous shells. To conclude, take this creature altogether,
and for beauty and curious contrivances, it may be compared with the
largest Animal upon the Earth. Nor doth the Alwise Creator seem to have
shewn less care and providence in the fabrick of it, then in those which
seem most considerable.
* * * * *
Observ. XLV. _Of the great Belly'd _Gnat_ or female _Gnat_._
The second Gnat, delineated in the twenty ninth _Scheme_, is of a very
differing shape from the former; but yet of this sort also, I found several
of the Gnats, that were generated out of the Water Insect: the wings of
this, were much larger then those of the other, and the belly much bigger,
shorter and of an other shape; and, from several particulars, I ghest it to
be the Female Gnat, and the former to be the Male.
The _thorax_ of this, was much like that of the other, having a very strong
and ridged back-piece, which went also on either side of its leggs; about
the wings there were several joynted pieces of Armor, which seem'd
curiously and conveniently contriv'd, for the promoting and strengthning
the motion of the wings: its head was much differing from the other, being
much bigger and neater shap'd, and the horns that grew out between his eyes
on two little balls, were of a very differing shape from the tufts of the
other Gnat, these having but a few knots or joynts, and each of those but a
few, and those short and strong, brisles.
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