properly for the microfcope; and many mull be prepared before
the obferver decides upon the fituation and fhape o f the parts;
he will often alfo be able to unfold in one fpecimen fome parts
that he can fcarce difcover in another. It is well known that the
collector of the bee forms a moft beautiful objeft; a
figure of it is given in Plate XIII. Fig. 3. In it is difplayed
a moft wonderful mechanifm, admirably adapted to colleft
and extract the various fweets from flowers, &c. To prepare
this, it fhould firft be carefully wafhed with fpirit o f turpentine,
by which means it will be freed from the unftuous
and melliferous particles which ufually adhere to i t ; when dry,
it muft be again wafhed with a camel’s hair pencil, to difengage
and bring forward the fma-ll hairs which form one part o f it’s
microfcopic beauty.
The cafe which enclpfes the sting of the bee, the wafp,
and the hornet, are fo hard, that it is very difficult to extraft
them without breaking or otherwife injuring them. It will be
found, perhaps, the belt way to foak the cafe and the reft o f the
apparatus for fome time in fpirit o f wine or turpentine, then lay
it on a piece o f clean paper, and with a blunt knife draw out the
fling, holding the fheath by the nail of the finger, or by any
blunt inftrument; great care is xequifite to preferve the feelers,
which when cleaned add much to the beauty o f the object.
The eyes of the libellula and different flies, o f the
lobfter, &c. are firft to be cleaned from the blood and other extraneous
matter, they fhould then be foaked in water for fome
days, after which you may feparate one or two fltins from'the
eye, which, if they remain, render it too Opake and confufed;
6 fome
fome care is, however, requifile in this reparation, otherwife the
fkin may be made too thin, fo as not to enable you to form an
accurate idea o f it's organization.
The exuviae o f infefis are ia general a very pleafing objeft,
and require but little preparation. I f they are curled or bent up,
keep them in a moift atmofphere for a few hours, and they will
foon become fo relaxed that you may extend them with eafe to
their natural pofitions. The fleam o f warm water anfwers the
purpofe very well.
The beard o f the lepas anitifera is to be foaked in clean foft
water, and frequently brufhed while wet with a camel s hair pencil
; it may then be left to dry : after which it muft be again
brufhed with a dry pencil, to difengage and feparate the hairs,
which are apt to adhere together. A pifture o f this objeft is-
reprefented in Plate XIII. Fig. 1.
T o view the muscular fibres, take a-very thin piece o f
dried flefh, and lay it upon a flip of glafs, and moiften it with
warm water; when this is evaporated, the veffels will appear
plain and more vifible, and by repeated macerations the parts
may be further difengaged.
T o examine fat, brains, and other fimilar fubftances, we are
advifed by Dr. Hooke to render the furface fmooth, by preffing;
it between two thin plates of flat glafs; by which the fubftance
will be made much thinner and more tranfparent; otherwife the
parts lying thick one upon the other, it appears confufed and
indiftinft.
Some