Micrographia - free ebook by Robert Hooke

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Micrographia

Robert Hooke

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MICROGRAPHIA: OR SOME Physiological Descriptions OF MINUTE BODIES MADE BY MAGNIFYING GLASSES WITH OBSERVATIONS and INQUIRIES thereupon.

MICROGRAPHIA: OR SOME Physiological Descriptions OF MINUTE BODIES MADE BY MAGNIFYING GLASSES WITH OBSERVATIONS and INQUIRIES thereupon.

By R. HOOKE , Fellow of the ROYAL SOCIETY . Non possis oculo quantum contendere Linceus , Non tamen idcirco contemnas Lippus inungi. Horat. Ep. lib. 1. LONDON , Printed by Jo. Martyn , and Ja. Allestry , Printers to the ROYAL SOCIETY , and are to be sold at their Shop at the Bell in S. Paul’s Church-yard. M DC LX V . SIR , I Do here most humbly lay this small Present at Your Majesties Royal feet. And though it comes accompany’d with two disadvantages , the meanness of the Author , and of the Sub

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THE PREFACE.

THE PREFACE.

I t is the great prerogative of Mankind above other Creatures, that we are not only able to behold the works of Nature, or barely to sustein our lives by them, but we have also the power of considering , comparing , altering , assisting , and improving them to various uses. And as this is the peculiar priviledge of humane Nature in general, so is it capable of being so far advanced by the helps of Art, and Experience, as to make some Men excel others in their Observations, and Deductions, almost

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Observ. I. Of the Point of a sharp small Needle.

Observ. I. Of the Point of a sharp small Needle.

Illuminated A in As s in Geometry , the most natural way of beginning is from a Mathematical point ; so is the same method in Observations and Natural history the most genuine, simple, and instructive. We must first endevour to make letters , and draw single strokes true, before we venture to write whole Sentences , or to draw large Pictures . And in Physical Enquiries, we must endevour to follow Nature in the more plain and easie ways she treads in the most simple and uncompounded bodies , to t

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Observ. II. Of the Edge of a Razor.

Observ. II. Of the Edge of a Razor.

The sharpest Edge hath the same kind of affinity to the sharpest Point in Physicks, as a line hath to a point in Mathematicks; and therefore the Treaty concerning this, may very properly be annexed to the former. A Razor doth appear to be a Body of a very neat and curious aspect, till more closely viewed by the Microscope , and there we may observe its very Edge to be of all kind of shapes, except what it should be. For examining that of a very sharp one, I could not find that any part of it had

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Observ. III. Of fine Lawn, or Linnen Cloth.

Observ. III. Of fine Lawn, or Linnen Cloth.

This is another product of Art, A piece of the finest Lawn I was able to get, so curious that the threads were scarce discernable by the naked eye, and yet through an ordinary Microscope you may perceive what a goodly piece of coarse Matting it is; what proportionable cords each of its threads are, being not unlike, both in shape and size, the bigger and coarser kind of single Rope-yarn , wherewith they usually make Cables . That which makes the Lawn so transparent, is by the Microscope , nay by

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Observ. IV. Of fine waled Silk, or Taffety.

Observ. IV. Of fine waled Silk, or Taffety.

This is the appearance of a piece of very fine Taffety-riband in the bigger magnifying Glass, which you see exhibits it like a very convenient substance to make Bed-matts, or Door-matts of, or to serve for Beehives, Corn-scuttles, Chairs, or Corn-tubs, it being not unlike that kind of work, wherewith in many parts in England , they make such Utensils of Straw, a little wreathed, and bound together with thongs of Brambles. For in this Contexture, each little filament, fiber, or clew of the Silk-w

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Observ. V. Of watered Silks, or Stuffs.

Observ. V. Of watered Silks, or Stuffs.

There are but few Artificial things that are worth observing with a Microscope , and therefore I shall speak but briefly concerning them. For the Productions of art are such rude mis-shapen things, that when view’d with a Microscope , is little else observable, but their deformity. The most curious Carvings appearing no better then those rude Russian Images we find mention’d in Purchas , where three notches at the end of a Stick, stood for a face. And the most smooth and burnish’d surfaces appea

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To make small shot of different sizes; Communicated by his Highness P.R.

To make small shot of different sizes; Communicated by his Highness P.R.

Take Lead out of the Pig what quantity you please, melt it down, stir and clear it with an iron Ladle, gathering together the blackish parts that swim at top like scum, and when you see the colour of the clear Lead to be greenish, but no sooner, strew upon it Auripigmentum powdered according to the quantity of Lead, about as much as will lye upon a half Crown piece will serve for eighteen or twenty pound weight of some sorts of Lead; others will require more, or less. After the Auripigmentum is

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Observ. VII. Of some Phænomena of Glass drops.

Observ. VII. Of some Phænomena of Glass drops.

These Glass Drops are small parcels of coarse green Glass taken out of the Pots that contain the Metal (as they call it) in fusion, upon the end of an Iron Pipe; and being exceeding hot, and thereby of a kind of sluggish fluid Consistence, are suffered to drop from thence into a Bucket of cold Water, and in it to lye till they be grown sensibly cold. Some of these I broke in the open air, by snapping off a little of the small stem with my fingers, others by crushing it with a small pair of Plyer

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Observ. VIII. Of the fiery Sparks struck from a Flint or Steel.

Observ. VIII. Of the fiery Sparks struck from a Flint or Steel.

It is a very common Experiment, by striking with a Flint against a Steel, to make certain fiery and shining Sparks to fly out from between those two compressing Bodies. About eight years since, upon casually reading the Explication of this odd Phænomenon , by the most Ingenious Des Cartes , I had a great desire to be satisfied, what that Substance was that gave such a shining and bright Light: And to that end I spread a sheet of white Paper, and on it, observing the place where several of these

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Observ. IX. Of the Colours observable in Muscovy-Glass, and other thin Bodies.

Observ. IX. Of the Colours observable in Muscovy-Glass, and other thin Bodies.

Moscovy-glass, or Lapis specularis , is a Body that seems to have as many Curiosities in its Fabrick as any common Mineral I have met with: for first, It is transparent to a great thickness: Next, it is compounded of an infinite number of thin flakes joyned or generated one upon another so close &amp; smooth, as with many hundreds of them to make one smooth and thin Plate of a transparent flexible substance, which with care and diligence may be slit into pieces so exceedingly thin as to be h

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Observ. X. Of Metalline, and other real Colours.

Observ. X. Of Metalline, and other real Colours.

Having in the former Discourse, from the Fundamental cause of Colour, made it probable, that there are but two Colours, and shewn, that the Phantasm of Colour is caus’d by the sensation of the oblique or uneven pulse of Light which is capable of no more varieties than two that arise from the two sides of the oblique pulse, though each of those be capable of infinite gradations or degrees (each of them beginning from White , and ending the one in the deepest Scarlet or Yellow , the other in the d

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Observ. XI. Of Figures observ’d in small Sand.

Observ. XI. Of Figures observ’d in small Sand.

Sand generally seems to be nothing else but exceeding small Pebbles, or at least some very small parcels of a bigger stone; the whiter kind seems through the Microscope to consist of small transparent pieces of some pellucid body, each of them looking much like a piece of Alum , or Salt Gem ; and this kind of Sand is angled for the most part irregularly, without any certain shape, and the granules of it are for the most part flaw’d, through amongst many of them it is not difficult to find some t

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Observ. XII. Of Gravel in Urine.

Observ. XII. Of Gravel in Urine.

I Have often observ’d the Sand or Gravel of Urine, which seems to be a tartareous substance, generated out of a saline and a terrestrial substance crystalliz’d together, in the form of Tartar , sometimes sticking to the sides of the Urinal , but for the most part sinking to the bottom, and there lying in the form of coorse common Sand; these, through the Microscope , appear to be a company of small bodies, partly transparent and partly opacous , some White, some Yellow, some Red, others of more

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Observ. XIII. Of the small Diamants, or Sparks in Flints.

Observ. XIII. Of the small Diamants, or Sparks in Flints.

Chancing to break a Flint stone in pieces, I found within it a certain cavity all crusted over with a very pretty candied substance, some of the parts of which, upon changing the posture of the Stone, in respect of the Incident light, exhibited a number of small, but very vivid reflections; and having made use of my Microscope , I could perceive the whole surface of that cavity to be all beset with a multitude of little Crystaline or Adamantine bodies, so curiously shap’d, that it afforded a not

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I. Several Observables in the six-branched Figures form’d on the surface of Urine by freezing.

I. Several Observables in the six-branched Figures form’d on the surface of Urine by freezing.

1 The Figures were all frozen almost even with the surface of the Urine in the Vessel; but the bigger stems were a little prominent above that surface, and the parts of those stems which were nearest the center ( a ) were biggest above the surface. 2 I have observ’d several kinds of these Figures, some smaller, no bigger then a Two-pence, others so bigg, that I have by measure found one of its stems or branches above four foot long; and of these, some were pretty round, having all their branches

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II. Observables in figur’d Snow.

II. Observables in figur’d Snow.

Exposing a piece of black Cloth, or a black Hatt to the falling Snow , I have often with great pleasure, observ’d such an infinite variety of curiously figur’d Snow , that it would be as impossible to draw the Figure and shape of every one of them, as to imitate exactly the curious and Geometrical Mechanisme of Nature in any one. Some coorse draughts, such as the coldness of the weather, and the ill provisions, I had by me for such a purpose, would permit me to make, I Schem. 8. Fig. 2. have her

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III. Several kinds of Figures in Water frozen.

III. Several kinds of Figures in Water frozen.

Putting fair Water into a large capacious Vessel of Glass , and exposing it to the cold, I observ’d after a little time, several broad, flat, and thin laminæ , or plates of Ice , crossing the bulk of the water and one another very irregularly, onely most of them seem’d to turn one of their edges towards that side of the Glass which was next it, and seem’d to grow, as ’twere from the inside of the Vessel inwards towards the middle, almost like so many blades of Fern . Having taken several of thes

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Observ. XV. Of Kettering-stone, and of the pores of Inanimate bodies.

Observ. XV. Of Kettering-stone, and of the pores of Inanimate bodies.

This Stone which is brought from Kettering in Northampton-Shire , and digg’d out of a Quarry, as I am inform’d, has a grain altogether admirable, nor have I ever seen or heard of any other stone that has the like. It is made up of an innumerable company of small bodies, not all of the same cize or shape, but for the most part, not much differing from a Globular form, nor exceed they one another in Diameter above three or four times; they appear to the eye, like the Cobb or Ovary of a Herring , o

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Observ. XVI. Of Charcoal, or burnt Vegetables.

Observ. XVI. Of Charcoal, or burnt Vegetables.

Charcoal, or a Vegetable burnt black, affords an object no less pleasant than instructive, for if you take a small round Charcoal, and break it short with your fingers, you may perceive it to break with a very smooth and sleek surface, almost like the surface of black sealing Wax; this surface, if it be look’d on with an ordinary Microscope , does manifest abundance of those pores which are also visible to the eye in many kinds of Wood , rang’d round the pith, both a in kind of circular order, a

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Observ. XVII. Of Petrify’d wood, and other Petrify’d bodies.

Observ. XVII. Of Petrify’d wood, and other Petrify’d bodies.

Of this sort of substance, I observ’d several pieces of very differing kinds, both for their outward shape, colour, grain, texture , hardness, &amp;c. some being brown and reddish; others gray, like a Hone; others black, and Flint-like: some soft, like a Slate or Whetstone, others as hard as a Flint, and as brittle. That which I more particular examin’d, was a piece about the bigness of a mans hand, which seem’d to have been a part of some large tree, that by rottenness had been broken off f

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Observations on the Humble and Sensible Plants in M Chiffin’s Garden in Saint James’s Park, made August the 9th, 1661. Present, the Lord Brouncker, Sr. Robert Moray, Dr. Wilkins, Mr. Evelin, Dr. Henshaw, and Dr. Clark.

Observations on the Humble and Sensible Plants in M Chiffin’s Garden in Saint James’s Park, made August the 9th, 1661. Present, the Lord Brouncker, Sr. Robert Moray, Dr. Wilkins, Mr. Evelin, Dr. Henshaw, and Dr. Clark.

There are four Plants, two of which are little shrub Plants, with a little short stock, about an Inch above the ground, from whence are spread several sticky branches, round, streight, and smooth in the distances between the Sprouts, but just under the Sprouts there are two sharp thorny prickles, broad in the letting on, as in the Bramble, one just under the Sprout, the other on the opposite side of the branch. The distances betwixt the Sprouts are usually something more then an Inch, and many u

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Observ. XIX. Of a Plant growing in the blighted or yellow specks of Damask-rose-leaves, Bramble-leaves, and some other kind of leaves.

Observ. XIX. Of a Plant growing in the blighted or yellow specks of Damask-rose-leaves, Bramble-leaves, and some other kind of leaves.

I have for several years together, in the Moneths of June , July , August , and September (when any of the green leaves of Roses begin to dry and grow yellow) observ’d many of them, especially the leaves of the old shrubs of Damask Roses , all bespecked with yellow stains; and the undersides just against them, to have little yellow hillocks of a gummous substance, and several of them to have small black spots in the midst of those yellow ones, which, to the naked eye, appear’d no bigger then the

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Observ. XX. Of blue Mould, and of the first Principles of Vegetation arising from Putrefaction.

Observ. XX. Of blue Mould, and of the first Principles of Vegetation arising from Putrefaction.

The Blue and White and several kinds of hairy mouldy spots, which are observable upon divers kinds of putrify’d bodies, whether Animal substances, or Vegetable, such as the skin, raw or dress’d, flesh, bloud, humours, milk, green Cheese, &amp;c. or rotten sappy Wood, or Herbs, Leaves, Barks, Roots, &amp;c. of Plants, are all of them nothing else but several kinds of small and variously figur’d Mushroms, which, from convenient materials in those putrifying bodies, are, by the concurrent h

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Observ. XXI. Of Moss, and several other small vegetative Substances.

Observ. XXI. Of Moss, and several other small vegetative Substances.

Moss is a Plant, that the wisest of Kings thought neither unworthy his speculation, nor his Pen, and though amongst Plants it be in bulk one of the smallest, yet it is not the least considerable: For, as to its shape, it may compare for the beauty of it with any Plant that grows, and bears a much bigger breadth; it has a root almost like a seedy Parsnep, furnish’d with small strings and suckers, which are all of them finely branch’d, like those of the roots of much bigger Vegetables; out of this

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Observ. XXII. Of common Sponges, and several other Spongie fibrous bodies.

Observ. XXII. Of common Sponges, and several other Spongie fibrous bodies.

A Sponge is commonly reckon’d among the Zoophyts , or Plant Animals; and the texture of it, which the Microscope discovers, seems to confirm it; for it is of a form whereof I never observ’d any other Vegetable, and indeed, it seems impossible that any should be of it, for it consists of an infinite number of small short fibres , or nervous parts, much of the same bigness, curiously jointed or contex’d together in the form of a Net, as is more plainly manifest by the little Draught which I have a

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Observ. XXIII. Of the curious texture of Sea-weeds.

Observ. XXIII. Of the curious texture of Sea-weeds.

For curiosity and beauty, I have not among all the Plants or Vegetables I have yet observ’d, seen any one comparable to this Sea-weed I have here describ’d, of which I am able to say very little more then Schem. 9. Fig. 2. what is represented by the second Figure of the ninth Scheme : Namely, that it is a Plant which grows upon the Rocks under the water, and increases and spreads it self into a great tuft, which is not onely handsomely branch’d into several leaves, but the whole surface of the P

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Observ. XXIV. Of the surfaces of Rosemary, and other leaves.

Observ. XXIV. Of the surfaces of Rosemary, and other leaves.

This which is delineated within the circle of the second Figure of the 14. Scheme , is a small part of the back or under side of a leaf of Rosemary, which I did not therefore make choice of because it had any thing peculiar which was not observable with a Microscope in several other Plants, but because it exhibits at one view, First, a smooth and shining surface, namely, AB, which is a part of the upper side of the leaf, that by a kind of hem or doubling of the leaf appears on this side. There a

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Observ. XXV. Of the stinging points and juice of Nettles, and some other venomous Plants.

Observ. XXV. Of the stinging points and juice of Nettles, and some other venomous Plants.

A Nettle is a Plant so well known to every one, as to what the appearance of it is to the naked eye, that it needs no description; and there are very few that have not felt as well as seen it; and therefore it will be no news to tell that a gentle and slight touch of the skin by a Nettle, does oftentime, not onely create very sensible and acute pain, much like that of a burn or scald, but often also very angry and hard swellings and inflamations of the parts, such as will presently rise, and con

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Observ. XXVI. Of Cowage, and the itching operation of some bodies.

Observ. XXVI. Of Cowage, and the itching operation of some bodies.

There is a certain Down of a Plant, brought from the East-Indies , call’d commonly, though very improperly, Cow-itch , the reason of which mistake is manifest enough from the description of it, which Mr. Parkinson sets down in his Herbal , Tribe XI. Chap. 2. Phasiolus siliqua hirsuta; The hairy Kidney-bean, called in Zurratte where it grows, Couhage: We have had (says he) another of this kind brought us out of the East-Indies , which being planted was in shew like the former, but came not to per

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Observ. XXVII. Of the Beard of a wilde Oat, and the use that may be made of it for exhibiting always to the Eye the temperature of the Air, as to driness and moisture.

Observ. XXVII. Of the Beard of a wilde Oat, and the use that may be made of it for exhibiting always to the Eye the temperature of the Air, as to driness and moisture.

This Beard of a wild Oat , is a body of a very curious structure, though to the naked Eye it appears very slight, and inconsiderable, it being only a small black or brown Beard or Bristle, which grows out of the side of the inner Husk that covers the Grain of a wild Oat ; the whole length of it, when put in Water, so that it may extend it self to its full length, is not above an Inch and a half, and for the most part somewhat shorter, but when the Grain is ripe, and very dry, which is usually in

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Observ. XXVIII. Of the Seeds of Venus looking-glass, or Corn Violet.

Observ. XXVIII. Of the Seeds of Venus looking-glass, or Corn Violet.

From the Leaves, and Downs, and Beards of Plants, we come at last to the Seeds; and here indeed seems to be the Cabinet of Nature, wherein are laid up its Jewels. The providence of Nature about Vegetables, is in no part manifested more, then in the various contrivances about the seed, nor indeed is there in any part of the Vegetable so curious carvings, and beautifull adornments, as about the seed; this in the larger sorts of seeds is most evident to the eye; nor is it lest manifest through the

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Observ. XXIX. Of the Seeds of Tyme.

Observ. XXIX. Of the Seeds of Tyme.

These pretty fruits here represented, in the 18. Scheme , are nothing else, but nine several seeds of Tyme; they are all of them in differing posture, both as to the eye and the light; nor are they all of them exactly of the same shape, there being a great variety both in the bulk and figure of each seed; but they all agreed in this, that being look’d on with a Microscope , they each of them exactly resembled a Lemmon or Orange dry’d; and this both in shape and colour. Some of them are a little

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Observ. XXX. Of the Seeds of Poppy.

Observ. XXX. Of the Seeds of Poppy.

The small seeds of Poppy, which are described in the 19. Scheme , both for their smalness, multiplicity and prettiness, as also for their admirable soporifick quality, deserve to be taken notice of among the other microscopical seeds of Vegetables: For first, though they grow in a Case or Hive oftentimes bigger then one of these Pictures of the microscopical appearance, yet are they for the most part so very little, that they exceed not the bulk of a small Nitt, being not above ¹⁄₃₂ part of an I

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Observ. XXXI. Of Purslane-seed.

Observ. XXXI. Of Purslane-seed.

The Seeds of Purslane seem of very notable shapes, appearing through the Microscope shap’d somewhat like a nautilus or Schem. 20. Porcelane shell, as may be seen in the XX. Scheme , it being a small body, coyl’d round in the manner of a Spiral, at the greater end whereof, which represents the mouth or orifice of the Shell, there is left a little white transparent substance, like a skin, represented by BBBB, which seems to have been the place whereunto the stem was join’d. The whole surface of th

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Observations on several other sorts of Hair.

Observations on several other sorts of Hair.

For the Brisles of a Hogg, I found them to be first a hard transparent horny substance, without the least appearance of pores or holes in it; and this I try’d with the greatest care I was able, cutting many of them with a very sharp Razor, so that they appear’d, even in the Glass, to have a pretty smooth surface, but somewhat waved by the sawing to and fro of the Razor, as is visible in the end of the Prismatical body A of the same Figure; and then making trials with causing the light to be cast

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Observ. XXXIII. Of the Scales of a Soal, and other Fishes.

Observ. XXXIII. Of the Scales of a Soal, and other Fishes.

Having hinted somewhat of the skin and covering of terrestrial Animals, I shall next add an Observation I made on the skin and Scales of a Soal , a small Fish, commonly enough known; and here in Fishes, as well as other Animals, Nature follows its usual method, framing all parts so, as that they are both usefull and ornamental in all its composures, mingling utile and dulce together; and both these designs it seems to follow, though our unassisted senses are not able to perceive them: This is no

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Observ. XXXIV. Of the Sting of a Bee.

Observ. XXXIV. Of the Sting of a Bee.

The Sting of a Bee , delineated in the second Figure of the XVI. Scheme , seems to be a weapon of offence, and is as great an Instance, that Nature did really intend revenge as any, and that first, because there seems to be no other use of it. Secondly, by reason of its admirable shape, seeming to be purposely shap’d for that very end. Thirdly, from the virulency of the liquor it ejects, and the sad effects and symptoms that follow it. But whatever be the use of it, certain it is, that the struc

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Observ. XXXV. Of the contexture and shape of the particles of Feathers.

Observ. XXXV. Of the contexture and shape of the particles of Feathers.

Examining several sorts of Feathers , I took notice of these particulars in all sorts of wing-Feathers, especially in those which serv’d for the beating of the air in the action of flying. That the outward surface of the Quill and Stem was of a very hard, stiff, and horny substance, which is obvious enough, and that the part above the Quill was fill’d with a very white and light pith, and, with the Microscope , I found this pith to be nothing else, but a kind of natural congeries of small bubble

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Observ. XXXVI. Of Peacocks, Ducks, and other Feathers of changeable colours.

Observ. XXXVI. Of Peacocks, Ducks, and other Feathers of changeable colours.

The parts of the Feathers of this glorious Bird appear, through the Microscope , no less gaudy then do the whole Feathers; for, as to the naked eye ’tis evident that the stem or quill of each Feather in the tail sends out multitudes of Lateral branches, such as AB in the Schem. 22. Fig. 3. third Figure of the 22. Scheme represents a small part of about ¹⁄₃₂ part of an Inch long, and each of the lateral branches emit multitudes of little sprigs, threads or hairs on either side of them, such as CD

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Observ. XXXVII. Of the Feet of Flies, and several other Insects.

Observ. XXXVII. Of the Feet of Flies, and several other Insects.

The foot of a Fly (delineated in the first Figure of the 23. Scheme , which represents three joints, the two Tallons, and the two Pattens in a flat posture; and in the second Figure of the same Scheme , which represents onely one joint, the Tallons and Pattens in another posture) is of a most admirable and curious contrivance, for by this the Flies are inabled to walk against the sides of Glass, perpendicularly upwards, and to contain themselves in that posture as long as they please; nay, to wa

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Observ. XXXVIII. Of the Structure and motion of the Wings of Flies.

Observ. XXXVIII. Of the Structure and motion of the Wings of Flies.

The Wings of all kinds of Insects, are, for the most part, very beautifull Objects, and afford no less pleasing an Object to the mind to speculate upon, then to the eye to behold. This of the blue Fly, among the rest, wants not its peculiar ornaments and contrivances; it grows out of the Thorax , or middle part of the body of a Fly, and is seated a little beyond the center of gravity in the body towards the head, but that Excentricly is curiously balanc’d; first, by the expanded Area of the wing

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Observ. XXXIX. Of the Eyes and Head of a Grey drone-Fly, and of several other creatures.

Observ. XXXIX. Of the Eyes and Head of a Grey drone-Fly, and of several other creatures.

I took a large grey Drone-Fly , that had a large head, but a small and slender body in proportion to it, and cutting off its head, I fix’d it with the forepart or face upwards upon my Object Plate (this I made choice of rather then the head of a great blue Fly, because my enquiry being now about the eyes, I found this Fly to have, first the biggest clusters of eyes in proportion to his head, of any small kind of Fly that I have yet seen, it being somewhat inclining towards the make of the large

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Observ. XL. Of the Teeth of a Snail.

Observ. XL. Of the Teeth of a Snail.

I have little more to add of the Teeth of a Snail, besides the Picture Schem. 25. Fig. 1. of it, which is represented in the first Figure of the 25. Scheme , save that his bended body, ABCDEF, which seem’d fashioned very much like a row of small teeth, orderly plac’d in the Gums, and looks as if it were divided into several smaller and greater black teeth, was nothing but one small bended hard bone, which was plac’d in the upper jaw of the mouth of a House-Snail, with which I observ’d this very

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Observ. XLI. Of the Eggs of Silk-worms, and other Insects.

Observ. XLI. Of the Eggs of Silk-worms, and other Insects.

The Eggs of Silk-worms (one of which I have describ’d in the second Figure of 25. Scheme ) afford a pretty Object for a Microscope that magnifies very much, especially if it be bright weather, and the light of a window be cast or collected on it by a deep Convex glass , or Water-ball. For then the whole surface of the Shell may be perceiv’d all cover’d over with exceeding small pits or cavities with interposed edges, almost in the manner of the surface of a Poppy-seed, but that these holes are n

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Observ. XLII. Of a blue Fly.

Observ. XLII. Of a blue Fly.

This kind of Fly, whereof a Microscopical Picture is delineated in the first Figure of the 26. Scheme , is a very beautifull creature, and has many things about it very notable; divers of which I have already partly describ’d, namely, the feet, wings, eyes, and head, in the preceding Observations. And though the head before describ’d be that of a grey Drone-Fly , yet for the main it is very agreeable to this. The things wherein they differ most, will be easily enough found by the following parti

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Postscript.

Postscript.

A good while since the writing of this Description, I was presented by Doctor Peter Ball , an ingenious Member of the Royal Society , with a little Paper of Nuts, which he told me was sent him from a Brother of his out of the Countrey, from Mamhead in Devonshire , some of them were loose, having been, as I suppose, broken off, others were still growing fast on upon the sides of a stick, which seem’d by the bark, pliableness of it, and by certain strings that grew out of it, to be some piece of t

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Observ. XLIV. Of the tufted or Brush-horn’d Gnat.

Observ. XLIV. Of the tufted or Brush-horn’d Gnat.

This little creature was one of those multitudes that fill our English air all the time that warm weather lasts, and is exactly of the shape of that I observ’d to be generated and hatch’d out of those little Insects that wriggle up and down in Rain-water. But, though many were of this form, yet I observ’d others to be of quite other kinds; nor were all of this or the other kind generated out of Water Insects; for whereas I observ’d that those that proceeded from those Insects were at their full

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Observ. XLV. Of the great Belly’d Gnat or female Gnat.

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 ri

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Observ. XLVI. Of the white featherwing’d Moth or Tinea Argentea.

Observ. XLVI. Of the white featherwing’d Moth or Tinea Argentea.

This white long wing’d Moth, which is delineated in the 30. Scheme ; afforded a lovely object both to the naked Eye, and through a Microscope : to the Eye it appear’d a small Milk-white Fly with four white Wings, the two formost somewhat longer then the two hindermost, and the two shorter about half an Inch long, each of which four Wings seem’d to consist of two small long Feathers, very curiously tufted, or haired on each side, with purely white, and exceedingly fine and small Haires, proportio

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Observ. XLVII. Of the Shepherd Spider, or long-legg’d Spider.

Observ. XLVII. Of the Shepherd Spider, or long-legg’d Spider.

The Carter, Shepherd Spider, or long-legg’d Spider, has, for two particularities, very few similar creatures that I have met with, the first, which is discoverable onely by the Microscope , and is in Schem. 31. Fig. 1. &amp; 2. the first and second Figures of the 31. Scheme , plainly describ’d, is the curious contrivance of his eyes, of which (differing from most other Spiders) he has onely two, and those plac’d upon the top of a small pillar or hillock, rising out of the middle of the top o

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Observ. XLVIII. Of the hunting Spider, and several other sorts of Spiders.

Observ. XLVIII. Of the hunting Spider, and several other sorts of Spiders.

The hunting Spider is a small grey Spider, prettily bespeck’d with black spots all over its body, which the Microscope discovers to be a kind of feathers like those on Butterflies wings, or the body of the white Moth I lately describ’d. Its gate is very nimble by fits, sometimes running, and sometimes leaping, like a Grashopper almost, then standing still, and setting it self on its hinder leggs, it will very nimbly turn its body, and look round it self every way: It has six very conspicuous eye

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Observ. XLIX. Of an Ant or Pismire.

Observ. XLIX. Of an Ant or Pismire.

This was a creature, more troublesome to be drawn, then any of the rest, for I could not, for a good while, think of a way to make it suffer its body to ly quiet in a natural posture; but whil’st it was alive, if its feet were fetter’d in Wax or Glew, it would so twist and wind its body, that I could not any wayes get a good view of it; and if I killed it, its body was so little, that I did often spoil the shape of it, before I could throughly view it: for this is the nature of these minute Bodi

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Observ. L. Of the wandring Mite.

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 bl

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Observ. LI. Of the Crab-like Insect.

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 Schem. 33. Fig. 2. 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 l

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Observ. LII. Of the small Silver-colour’d Book-worm.

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 Boo

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Observ. LIII. Of a Flea.

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

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Observ. LIV. Of a Louse.

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 s

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Observ. LV. Of Mites.

Observ. LV. Of Mites.

The least of Reptiles I have hitherto met with, is a Mite, a Creature whereof there are some so very small, that the sharpest sight, unassisted with Glasses, is not able to discern them, though, being white of themselves, they move on a black and smooth surface; and the Eggs, out of which these Creatures seem to be hatch’d, are yet smaller, those being usually not above a four or five hundredth part of a well grown Mite, and those well grown Mites not much above one hundredth of an inch in thick

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Observ. LVI. Of a small Creature hatch’d on a Vine.

Observ. LVI. Of a small Creature hatch’d on a Vine.

There is, almost all the Spring and Summer time, a certain small, round, white Cobweb, as ’twere, about the bigness of a Pea, which sticks very close and fast to the stocks of Vines nayl’d against a warm wall: being attentively viewed, they seem cover’d, upon the upper side of them, with a small husk, not unlike the scale, or shell of a Wood-louse, or Hog-louse, a small Insect usually found about rotten wood, which upon touching presently rouls it self into the form of a peppercorn: Separating s

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Observ. LVII. Of the Eels in Vinegar.

Observ. LVII. Of the Eels in Vinegar.

Of these small Eels, which are to be found in divers sorts of Vinegar, I have little to add besides their Picture, which you may find drawn in Schem. 25. Fig. 3. the third Figure of the 25. Scheme : That is, they were shaped much like an Eel, save only that their nose A, (which was a little more opacous then the rest of their body) was a little sharper, and longer, in proportion to their body, and the wrigling motion of their body seem’d to be onely upwards and downwards, whereas that of Eels is

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A Table of the Elastick power of the Air, both Experimentally and Hypothetically calculated, according to its various Dimensions.

A Table of the Elastick power of the Air, both Experimentally and Hypothetically calculated, according to its various Dimensions.

From which Experiments, I think, we may safely conclude, that the Elater of the Air is reciprocal to its extension, or at least very neer. So that to apply it to our present purpose (which was indeed the chief cause of inventing these wayes of tryal) we will suppose a Cylinder indefinitely extended upwards, [I say a Cylinder , not a piece of a Cone , because, as I may elsewhere shew in the Explication of Gravity, that triplicate proportion of the shels of a Sphere, to their respective diameters,

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Observ. LIX. Of multitudes of small Stars discoverable by the Telescope.

Observ. LIX. Of multitudes of small Stars discoverable by the Telescope.

Having, in the last Observation, premis’d some particulars observable in the medium , through which we must look upon Cœlestial Objects, I shall here add one Observation of the Bodies themselves; and for a specimen I have made choice of the Pleiades , or seven Stars, commonly so called (though in our time and Climate there appear no more then six to the naked eye) and this I did the rather, because the deservedly famous Galileo , having publisht a Picture of this Asterisme , was able, it seems,

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Observ. LX. Of the Moon.

Observ. LX. Of the Moon.

Having a pretty large corner of the Plate for the seven Starrs, void, for the filling it up, I have added one small Specimen of the appearance of the parts of the Moon, by describing a small spot of it, which, though taken notice of, both by the Excellent Hevelius , and called Mons Olympus (though I think somewhat improperly, being Schem. 38. Fig. X, &amp;c . rather a vale) and represented by the Figure X. of the 38. Scheme , and also by the Learn’d Ricciolus , who calls it Hipparchus , and

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THE TABLE.

THE TABLE.

Observat. 1 . Of the point of a Needle. A Description of it: what other Bodies have the sharpest points: of the ruggedness of polisht Metal. A description of a printed point. Of very small writing, and the use of it for secret intelligence: the cause of the coursness of printed lines and points. Observ. 2 . Of the Edge of a Razor. A description of it: the causes of its roughness: of the roughness of very well polisht Optick Glasses. . Obser. 3 . Of fine Lawn. A description of it: A silken Flax m

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