by letting them drop by their threads into fcalding water, and
fuddenly withdrawing them; for by this means the epidermis
peeled off very eafily; and when this was done, he put them into
diftilled vinegar and fpirit of wine, mixed together in equal portions,
which, by giving a proper firmnefs to the parts, gave him
an opportunity of feparating them, with very little trouble, from
the exuviae, or fkins, without any danger to the parts; fo that by
this contrivance, the nymph could be fhewn to be wrapped up
in the caterpillar, and the butterfly in the nymph. Thofe who
look into the works o f Swammerdam, will be abundantly gratified,
whether they conlider his fmmenfe labour and unremitted
ardour in thefe purfuits, or his wonderful devotion and piety.
On one hand, his genius urged him to examine the miracles pf
the great Creator in his natural productions; whilft on the other,
the love o f that fame all-perfeft Being rooted in his mind, ftrug-
gled hard to perfuade him that God alone, and not the creatures,
were worthy o f his refearches, love, and attention.
M. Lyonet always drowned firft thofe infefts he intended to
anatomize, as by this means he was enabled to preferve both the
foftnefs and tranfparency of the parts. I f the inleft, &c. is very
finall, ex. gr. one-tenth o f an inch, or a little more in length, it
Ihould be diffefted in water, on a glafs which is a little concave;
if after a few days there is any fear that the infeft will putrefy, it
ffiould be placed in weak fpirit o f wine, inftead o f water; In.
order to fix the little creature, it muff be fuffered to dry, and’
then be fattened by a piece of foft w a x ; after which it may be
again covered with water.
Larger objefts require a different procefs; they Ihould be
placed in a fmall trough o f thin wood; the bottom of a common
chip box will anfwer very well, by furrounding the edge o f it
with foft wax, to keep in -the water or fpirit of wine. The infeft
is then to be opened, and if the parts are foft like thofe o f a
caterpillar, they Ihould be turned back and fixed to the trough
by fmall pins ; the pins are to be fet by a pair o f finall nippers :
the Ikin being ftretched at the fame inftant by another pair of
finer forceps, the infeft muft then be placed in water, and dif-
fefted therein, and after two or three days it Ihould be covered
with fpirits o f wine, which Ihould be renewed occafionally ; by
this means the fubjeft is preferved in perfeftion, and it’s parts
may be gradually unfolded, without any other change being
perceived than that the foft elaftic parts become ftiff and opake.
and feme others lofe their colour.
M Lyonet ufed the following inftruments in his curious dif-
feftion of the chenille de fettle. As fmall a pair o f fcrffers as
could be made, the arms long and fine ; a fmall and lharp knife,
the end brought to a point; a pair o f forceps, the ends o f which
had been fo adjufted, that they would eafily lay hold of a lpi-
der’s thread or a grain of fend. But the moll ufeful mftruments
were two fine Heel needles, fixed in fmall wooden handles, about
a I o f an inch in length.
Anobfervation of Dr. Hooke’s may be very ufefhl, if attended
to, for fixing objefts intended to be defigned by the microfcope.
He found no creature more troublefome to draw t an e an
pifmire, not being able to get the body quiet in a natural pollute,
if, when alive, it’s feet were fettered with wax or glue, it would
S 2 to