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Micrographia by Robert Hooke

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Having insnar'd several of these into a small Box, I made choice of the
tallest grown among them, and separating it from the rest, I gave it a Gill
of Brandy, or Spirit of Wine, which after a while e'en knock'd him down
dead drunk, so that he became moveless, though at first putting in he
struggled for a pretty while very much, till at last, certain bubbles
issuing out of its mouth, it ceased to move; this (because I had before
found them quickly to recover again, if they were taken out presently) I
suffered to lye above an hour in the Spirit; and after I had taken it out,
and put its body and legs into a natural posture, remained moveless about
an hour; but then, upon a sudden, as if it had been awaken out of a drunken
sleep, it suddenly reviv'd and ran away; being caught, and serv'd as
before, he for a while continued struggling and striving, till at last
there issued several bubbles out of its mouth, and then, _tanquam animam
expirasset_, he remained moveless for a good while; but at length again
recovering, it was again redipt, and suffered to lye some hours in the
Spirit; notwithstanding which, after it had layen dry some three or four
hours, it again recovered life and motion: Which kind of Experiments, if
prosecuted, which they highly deserve, seem to me of no inconsiderable use
towards the invention of the _Latent Scheme_, (as the Noble _Verulam_ calls
it) or the hidden, unknown Texture of Bodies.

Of what Figure this Creature appear'd through the _Microscope_, the 32.
_Scheme_ (though not so carefully graven as it ought) will represent to the
eye, namely, That it had a large head AA, at the upper end of which were
two protuberant eyes, pearl'd like those of a Fly, but smaller BB; out of
the Nose, or foremost part, issued two horns CC, of a shape sufficiently
differing from those of a blew Fly, though indeed they seem to be both the
same kind of Organ, and to serve for a kind of smelling; beyond these were
two indented jaws DD, which he open'd side-wayes, and was able to gape them
asunder very wide; and the ends of them being armed with teeth, which
meeting went between each other, it was able to grasp and hold a heavy
body, three or four times the bulk and weight of its own body: It had only
six legs, shap'd like those of a Fly, which, as I shewed before, is an
Argument that it is a winged Insect, and though I could not perceive any
sign of them in the middle part of its body (which seem'd to consist of
three joints or pieces EFG, out of which sprung two legs), yet 'tis known
that there are of them that have long wings, and fly up and down in the
air.

The third and last part of its body III was bigger and larger then the
other two, unto which it was joyn'd by a very small middle, and had a kind
of loose shell, or another distinct part of its body H, which seem'd to be
interpos'd, and to keep the _thorax_ and belly from touching.

The whole body was cas'd over with a very strong armour, and the belly III
was covered likewise with multitudes of small white shining brisles; the
legs, horns, head, and middle parts of its body were bestuck with hairs
also, but smaller and darker.

* * * * *


Observ. L. _Of the wandring _Mite_._

In _September_ and _October, 1661._ I observ'd in _Oxford_ several of these
little pretty Creatures to wander to and fro, and often to travel over the
plains of my Window. And in _September_ and _October, 1663._ I observ'd
likewise several of these very same Creatures traversing a window at
_London_, and looking without the window upon the subjacent wall, I found
whole flocks of the same kind running to and fro among the small groves and
thickets of green moss, and upon the curiously spreading vegetable blew or
yellow moss, which is a kind of a Mushrome or Jews-ear.

These Creatures to the naked eye seemed to be a kind of black Mite, but
much nimbler and stronger then the ordinary Cheese-Mites; but examining
them in a _Microscope_, I found them to be a very fine crusted or shell'd
Insect, much like that represented in the first Figure of the three and
thirtieth _Scheme_, with a protuberant oval shell A, indented or pitted
with an abundance of small pits, all covered over with little white
brisles, whose points all directed backwards.

It had eight legs, each of them provided with a very sharp tallon, or claw
at the end, which this little Animal, in its going, fastned into the pores
of the body over which it went. Each of these legs were bestuck in every
joynt of them with multitudes of small hairs, or (if we respect the
proportion they bore to the bigness of the leg) turnpikes, all pointing
towards the claws.

The _Thorax_, or middle parts of the body of this Creature, was exceeding
small, in respect both of the head and belly, it being nothing but that
part which was covered by the two shells BB, though it seem'd to grow
thicker underneath: And indeed, if we consider the great variety Nature
uses in proportioning the three parts of the body, (the _Head_, _Thorax_,
and _Belly_) we shall not wonder at the small proportion of this _Thorax_,
nor at the vaster bulk of the belly, for could we exactly anatomise this
little Creature, and observe the particular designs of each part, we should
doubtless, as we do in all her more manageable and tractable fabricks, find
much more reason to admire the excellency of her contrivance and
workmanship, then to wonder, it was not made otherwise.

The head of this little Insect was shap'd somewhat like a Mite's, that is,
it had a long snout, in the manner of a Hogs, with a knobbed ridge running
along the middle of it, which was bestuck on either side with many small
brisles, all pointing forward, and two very large pikes or horns, which
rose from the top of the head, just over each eye, and pointed forward
also. It had two pretty large black eyes on either side of the head EE,
from one of which I could see a very bright reflection of the window, which
made me ghess, that the _Cornea_ of it was smooth, like those of bigger
Insects. Its motion was pretty quick and strong, it being able very easily
to tumble a stone or clod four times as big as its whole body.

At the same time and place, and divers times since, I have observed with my
_Microscope_, another little Insect, which, though I have not annexed the
picture of, may be worth noting, for its exceeding nimbleness as well as
smalness; it was as small as a Mite, with a body deep and ridged, almost
like a Flea; it had eight blood-red legs, not very long, but slender; and
two horns or feelers before. Its motion was so exceeding quick, that I have
often lost sight of one I have observed with my naked eye; and though, when
it was not frighted, I was able to follow the motions of some with my
_Microscope_; yet if it were never so little startled, it posted away with
such speed, and turn'd and winded it self so quick, that I should presently
lose sight of it.

When I first observ'd the former of these Insects, or Mites, I began to
conjecture, that certainly I had found out the vagabond Parents of those
Mites we find in Cheeses, Meal, Corn, Seeds, musty Barrels, musty Leather,
&c. these little Creatures, wandring to and fro every whither, might
perhaps, as they were invited hither and thither by the musty steams of
several putrifying bodies, make their invasions upon those new and pleasing
territories, and there spending the remainder of their life, which might be
perhaps a day, or thereabouts, in very plentiful and riotous living, might
leave their off-spring behind them, which by the change of the soil and
Country they now inhabite, might be quite alter'd from the hew of their
_primogenitors_, and, like _Mores_ translated into Northern _European_
Climates, after a little time, change both their skin and shape. And this
seems yet more probable in these Insects, because that the soil or body
they inhabit, seems to be almost half their parent, for it not only hatches
and brings those little eggs, or seminal principles, to perfection, but
seems to augment and nourish them also before they are hatch'd or shaped;
for it is obvious enough to be observ'd, that the eggs of many other
Insects, and particularly of Mites, are increas'd in bulk after they are
laid out of the bodies of the Insects, and plump'd sometimes into many
times their former bigness, so that the bodies they are laid in being, as
it were, half their mothers, we shall not wonder that it should have such
an active power to change their forms. We find by relations how much the
_Negro_ Women do besmeer the of-spring of the _Spaniard_, bringing forth
neither white-skinn'd nor black, but tawny hided _Mulattos_.

Now, though I propound this as probable, I have not yet been so farr
certify'd by Observations as to conclude any thing, either positively or
negatively, concerning it. Perhaps, some more lucky diligence may please
the curious Inquirer with the discovery of this, to be a truth, which I now
conjecture, and may thereby give him a satisfactory account of the cause of
those creatures, whose original seems yet to obscure, and may give him
cause to believe, that many other animate beings, that seem also to be the
mere product of putrifaction, may be innobled with a Pedigree as ancient as
the first creation, and farr exceed the greatest beings in their numerous
Genealogies. But on the other side, if it should be found that these, or
any other animate body, have no immediate similar Parent, I have in another
place set down a conjectural _Hypothesis_ whereby those _Phaenomena_ may
likely enough be solv'd, wherein the infinite wisdom and providence of the
Creator is no less rare and wonderfull.

* * * * *


Observ. LI. _Of the _Crab-like_ Insect._

Reading one day in _Septemb._ I chanced to observe a very smal creature
creep over the Book I was reading, very slowly; having a _Microscope_ by
me, I observ'd it to be a creature of a very unusual form, and that not
less notable; such as is describ'd in the second _Figure_ of the 33.
_Scheme_. It was about the bigness of a large Mite, or somewhat longer, it
had ten legs, eight of which, AAAA, were topt with very sharp claws, and
were those upon which he walk'd, seeming shap'd much like those of a Crab,
which in many other things also this little creature resembled; for the two
other claws, BB, which were the formost of all the ten, and seem'd to grow
out of his head, like the horns of other Animals, were exactly form'd in
the manner of Crabs or Lobsters claws, for they were shap'd and jointed
much like those represented in the _Scheme_ and the ends of them were
furnish'd with a pair of claws or pincers, CC, which this little animal did
open and shut at pleasure: It seem'd to make use of those two horns or
claws both for feelers and holders; for in its motion it carried these
aloft extended before, moving them to and fro, just as a man blindfolded
would do his hands when he is fearfull of running against a wall, and if I
put a hair to it, it would readily take hold of it with these claws, and
seem to hold it fast. Now, though these horns seem'd to serve him for two
uses, namely, for feeling and holding; yet he seem'd neither blind, having
two small black spots, DD, which by the make of them, and the bright
reflection from them seem'd to be his eyes, nor did it want other hands,
having another pair of claws, EE, very neer plac'd to its mouth, and seem'd
adjoining to it.

The whole body was cased over with armour-shells, as is usuall in all those
kinds of _crustaceous_ creatures, especially about their bellies, and
seem'd of three kinds, the head F seem'd cover'd with a kind of scaly
shell, the _thorax_ with two smooth shells, or Rings, GG, and the belly
with eight knobb'd ones. I could not certainly find whether it had under
these last shells any wings, but I suspect the contrary; for I have not
found any wing'd Insect with eight leggs, two of those leggs being always
converted into wings, and, for the most part, those that have but six, have
wings.

This creature, though I could never meet with more then one of them, and so
could not make so many examinations of it as otherwise I would, I did
notwithstanding, by reason of the great curiosity that appear'd to me in
its shape, delineate it, to shew that, in all likelihood, Nature had
crouded together into this very minute Insect, as many, and as excellent
contrivances, as into the body of a very large Crab, which exceeds it in
bulk, perhaps, some Millions of times; for as to all the apparent parts,
there is a greater rather then a less multiplicity of parts, each legg has
as many parts, and as many joints as a Crabs, nay, and as many hairs or
brisles; and the like may be in all the other visible parts; and 'tis very
likely, that the internal curiosities are not less excellent: It being a
general rule in Nature's proceedings, that where she begins to display any
excellency, if the subject be further search'd into, it will manifest, that
there is not less curiosity in those parts which our single eye cannot
reach, then in those which are more obvious.

* * * * *


Observ. LII. _Of the small Silver-colour'd _Book-worm_._

As among greater Animals there are many that are scaled, both for ornament
and defence, so are there not wanting such also among the lesser bodies of
Insects, whereof this little creature gives us an Instance. It is a small
white Silver-shining Worm or Moth, which I found much conversant among
Books and Papers, and is suppos'd to be that which corrodes and eats holes
through the leaves and covers; it appears to the naked eye, a small
glittering Pearl-colour'd Moth, which upon the removing of Books and Papers
in the Summer, is often observ'd very nimbly to scud, and pack away to some
lurking cranney, where it may the better protect itself from any appearing
dangers. Its head appears bigg and blunt, and its body tapers from it
towads the tail, smaller and smaller, being shap'd almost like a Carret.

This the _Microscopical_ appearance will more plainly manifest, which
exhibits, in the third _Figure_ of the 33. _Scheme_, a conical body,
divided into fourteen several partitions, being the appearance of so many
several shels, or shields that cover the whole body, every of these shells
are again cover'd or tiled over with a multitude of thin transparent
scales, which, from the multiplicity of their reflecting surfaces, make the
whole Animal appear of a perfect Pearl-colour.

Which, by the way, may hint us the reason of that so much admired
appearance of those so highly esteem'd bodies, as also of the like in
mother of Pearl-shells, and in multitudes of other shelly Sea-substances;
for they each of them consisting of an infinite number of very thin shells
or laminated orbiculations, cause such multitudes of reflections, that the
compositions of them together with the reflections of others that are so
thin as to afford colours (of which I elsewhere give the reason) gives a
very pleasant reflection of light. And that this is the true cause, seems
likely, first, because all those so appearing bodies are compounded of
multitudes of plated substances. And next that, by ordering any trasparent
substance after this manner, the like _Phaenomena_ may be produc'd; this
will be made very obvious by the blowing of Glass into exceeding thin
shells, and then breaking them into scales, which any lamp-worker will
presently do; for a good quantity of these scales, laid in a heap together,
have much the same resemblance of Pearls. Another way, not less instructive
and pleasant, is a way which I have several times done, which is by working
and tossing, as 'twere, a parcel of pure crystalline glass whilst it is
kept glowing hot in the blown flame of a Lamp, for, by that means, that
purely transparent body will be so divided into an infinite number of
plates, or small strings, with interpos'd aerial plates and _fibres_, that
from the multiplicity of the reflections from each of those internal
surfaces, it may be drawn out into curious Pearl-like or Silver wire, which
though small, will yet be opacous; the same thing I have done with a
composition of red _Colophon_ and _Turpentine_, and a little Bee's Wax, and
may be done likewise with Birdlime, and such like glutinous and transparent
bodies: But to return to our description.

The small blunt head of this Insect was furnish'd on either side of it with
a cluster of eyes, each of which seem'd to contain but a very few, in
comparison of what I had observ'd the clusters of other Insects to abound
with; each of these clusters were beset with a row of small brisles, much
like the _cilia_ or hairs on the eye-lids, and, perhaps, they serv'd for
the same purpose. It had two long horns before, which were streight, and
tapering towards the top, curiously ring'd or knobb'd, and brisled much
like the Marsh Weed, call'd Horse-tail, or Cats-tail, having at each knot a
fring'd Girdle, as I may so call it, of smaller hairs, and several bigger
and larger brisles, here and there dispers'd among them: besides these, it
had two shorter horns, or feelers, which were knotted and fring'd, just as
the former, but wanted brisles, and were blunt at the ends; the hinder part
of the creature was terminated with three tails, in every particular
resembling the two longer horns that grew out of the head: The leggs of it
were scal'd and hair'd much like the rest, but are not express'd in this
_Figure_, the Moth being intangled all in Glew, and so the leggs of this
appear'd not through the Glass which looked perpendicularly upon the back.

This Animal probably feeds upon the Paper and covers of Books, and
perforates in them several small round holes, finding, perhaps, a
convenient nourishment in those hulks of Hemp and Flax, which have pass'd
through so many scourings, washings, dressings and dryings, as the parts of
old Paper must necessarily have suffer'd; the digestive faculty, it seems,
of these little creatures being able yet further to work upon those
stubborn parts, and reduce them into another form.

And indeed, when I consider what a heap of Saw-dust or chips this little
creature (which is one of the teeth of Time) conveys into its intrals, I
cannot chuse but remember and admire the excellent contrivance of Nature,
in placing in Animals such a fire, as is continually nourished and supply'd
by the materials convey'd into the stomach, and _fomented_ by the bellows
of the lungs; and in so contriving the most admirable fabrick of Animals,
as to make the very spending and wasting of that fire, to be instrumental
to the procuring and collecting more materials to augment and cherish it
self, which indeed seems to be the principal end of all the contrivances
observable in bruit Animals.

* * * * *


Observ. LIII. _Of a _Flea_._

The strength and beauty of this small creature, had it no other relation at
all to man, would deserve a description.

For its strength, the _Microscope_ is able to make no greater discoveries
of it then the naked eye, but onely the curious contrivance of its leggs
and joints, for the exerting that strength, is very plainly manifested,
such as no other creature, I have yet observ'd, has any thing like it; for
the joints of it are so adapted, that he can, as 'twere, fold them short
one within another, and suddenly stretch, or spring them out to their whole
length, that is, of the fore-leggs, the part A, of the 34. _Scheme_, lies
within B, and B within C, parallel to, or side by side each other; but the
parts of the two next, lie quite contrary, that is, D without E, and E
without F, but parallel also; but the parts of the hinder leggs, G, H and
I, bend one within another, like the parts of a double jointed Ruler, or
like the foot, legg and thigh of a man; these six leggs he clitches up
altogether, and when he leaps, springs them all out, and thereby exerts his
whole strength at once.

But, as for the beauty of it, the _Microscope_ manifests it to be all over
adorn'd with a curiously polish'd suit of _sable_ Armour, neatly jointed,
and beset with multitudes of sharp pinns, shap'd almost like Porcupine's
Quills, or bright conical Steel-bodkins; the head is on either side
beautify'd with a quick and round black eye K, behind each of which also
appears a small cavity, L, in which he seems to move to and fro a certain
thin film beset with many small transparent hairs, which probably may be
his ears; in the forepart of his head, between the two fore-leggs, he has
two small long jointed feelers, or rather smellers, MM, which have four
joints, and are hairy, like those of several other creatures; between
these, it has a small _proboscis_, or _probe_, NNO, that seems to consist
of a tube NN, and a tongue or sucker O, which I have perceiv'd him to slip
in and out. Besides these, it has also two chaps or biters PP, which are
somewhat like those of an Ant, but I could not perceive them tooth'd; these
were shap'd very like the blades of a pair of round top'd Scizers, and were
opened and shut just after the same manner; with these Instruments does
this little busie Creature bite and pierce the skin, and suck out the blood
of an Animal, leaving the skin inflamed with a small round red spot. These
parts are very difficult to be discovered, because, for the most part, they
lye covered between the fore-legs. There are many other particulars, which,
being more obvious, and affording no great matter of information, I shall
pass by, and refer the Reader to the Figure.

* * * * *


Observ. LIV. _Of a Louse._

This is a Creature so officious, that 'twill be known to every one at one
time or other, so busie, and so impudent, that it will be intruding it self
in every ones company, and so proud and aspiring withall, that it fears not
to trample on the best, and affects nothing so much as a Crown; feeds and
lives very high, and that makes it so saucy, as to pull any one by the ears
that comes in its way, and will never be quiet till it has drawn blood: it
is troubled at nothing so much as at a man that scratches his head, as
knowing that man is plotting and contriving some mischief against it, and
that makes it oftentime sculk into some meaner and lower place, and run
behind a mans back, though it go very much against the hair; which ill
conditions of it having made it better known then trusted, would exempt me
from making any further description of it, did not my faithful _Mercury_,
my _Microscope_, bring me other information of it. For this has discovered
to me, by means of a very bright light cast on it, that it is a Creature of
a very odd shape; it has a head shap'd like that exprest in 35. _Scheme_
marked with A, which seems almost Conical, but is a little flatted on the
upper and under sides, at the biggest part of which, on either side behind
the head (as it were, being the place where other Creatures ears stand) are
placed its two black shining goggle eyes BB, looking backwards, and fenced
round with several small _cilia_, or hairs that incompass it, so that it
seems this Creature has no very good foresight: It does not seem to have
any eye-lids, and therefore perhaps its eyes were so placed, that it might
the better cleanse them with its fore-legs; and perhaps this may be the
reason, why they so much avoid and run from the light behind them, for
being made to live in the shady and dark recesses of the hair, and thence
probably their eye having a great aperture, the open and clear light,
especially that of the Sun, must needs very much offend them; to secure
these eyes from receiving any injury from the hairs through which it
passes, it has two horns that grow before it, in the place where one would
have thought the eyes should be; each of these CC hath four joynts, which
are fringed, as 'twere, with small brisles, from which to the tip of its
snout D, the head seems very round and tapering, ending in a very sharp
nose D, which seems to have a small hole, and to be the passage through
which he sucks the blood. Now whereas if it be plac'd on its back, with its
belly upwards, as it is in the 35. _Scheme_, it seems in several Positions
to have a resemblance of chaps, or jaws, as is represented in the Figure by
EE, yet in other postures those dark strokes disappear; and having kept
several of them in a box for two or three dayes, so that for all that time
they had nothing to feed on, I found, upon letting one creep on my hand,
that it immediately fell to sucking, and did neither seem to thrust its
nose very deep into the skin, nor to open any kind of mouth, but I could
plainly perceive a small current of blood, which came directly from its
snout, and past into its belly; and about A there seem'd a contrivance,
somewhat resembling a Pump, pair of Bellows, or Heart, for by a very swift
_systole_ and _diastole_ the blood seem'd drawn from the nose, and forced
into the body. It did not seem at all, though I viewed it a good while as
it was sucking, to thrust more of its nose into the skin then the very
snout D, nor did it cause the least discernable pain, and yet the blood
seem'd to run through its head very quick and freely, so that it seems
there is no part of the skin but the blood is dispers'd into, nay, even
into the _cuticula_; for had it thrust its whole nose in from D to CC, it
would not have amounted to the supposed thickness of that _tegument_, the
length of the nose being not more then a three hundredth part of an inch.
It has six legs, covered with a very transparent shell, and joynted exactly
like a Crab's, or Lobster's; each leg is divided into six parts by these
joynts, and those have here and there several small hairs; and at the end
of each leg it has two claws, very properly adapted for its peculiar use,
being thereby inabled to walk very securely both on the skin and hair; and
indeed this contrivance of the feet is very curious, and could not be made
more commodiously and compendiously, for performing both these requisite
motions, of walking and climbing up the hair of a mans head, then it is:
for, by having the lesser claw (a) set so much short of the bigger (b) when
it walks on the skin the shorter touches not, and then the feet are the
same with those of a Mite, and several other small Insects, but by means of
the small joynts of the longer claw it can bend it round, and so with both
claws take hold of a hair, in the manner represented in the Figure, the
long transparent Cylinder FFF, being a Man's hair held by it.

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