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rather induced to think fo, because Children in their first Infancy, and as long as they are conftantly confin'd to a Milk Diet, are feldom. troubled with them.

After this was written, I received a Letter from my often remembred ingenious Friend Dr. Tancred Robinfon, referring to this Matter, Part whereof I fhall tranfcribe, as being. very pertinent, inftructive, and confonant to my own Thoughts: I think it may be proved, that the vaft Variety of Worms found in almost all the Parts of different Animals, as well Ter reftrial as Aquatick, are taken into their refpeEtive Bodies by Meats and Drinks, and there either lie ftill for fome time, or else grow and alter by Change of Place and Food, [not specifical ly, but accidentally in Magnitude, Colour, Fil gure of fome Parts, or the like.] We know as yet but little of the numerous Infects bred in Water, or indeed of thofe in Roots, Leaves, Buds, Flowers, Fruits and Seeds, which we are continually fwallowing; and these too all vary accor ding to Climate. [That is, the fame Species of Roots, Leaves, &c. do in different Climates produce many different Species of Infects, tho' fome there be common to all.] The long fender Worms, as fmall as Hairs, that breed between the Skin and the Flesh in the Ifle of Ormuz, and in India; which are generally twisted out upon Sticks or Rowlers, and often break in the Operation, are without doubt taken in by the Water they drink in thofe Regions, as I could prove by many and good Experiments, bad I time. They

who have Leifure, may find them in the ColleEtions of Voyages and Travels, especially in Monfieur Thevenot. By this Explication we may give a better Account of the Vomitings up of Tadpoles, Snails, and other Animals, recorded in Medical Hiftories, than by any Hypothefis of Equivocal Generation: As to Infects found in Stinking Flesh, or rotten Vegetables, I could never obferve or find any of them different from thofe Parent Infects, which hover about, or feed upon fuch Bodies.

If any hall object the infinite Multitudes of Animalcules difcovered in Pepper-Water, and defire an Account of their Generation; to him I fhall fay, that it is probable, that fome few of these Animals may be floating in all Waters, and that finding the Particles of Pepper fwimming in the Water very proper for the cherishing and excluding of their Eggs, by, reafon of their Heat, or fome other unknown and fpecifick Quality, they may fasten their Eggs to them, and fo there may be a fudden Breed of infinite Swarms of them. But these being not to be difcerned by the most piercing and Lyncean Sight, without the Affistance of a Microscope, I leave the Manner of their Ge neration to future Discovery.

No lefs difficult is it to give an Account of the Original of fuch Infects as are found and feem to be bred in the Bodies of others of different Kinds. Out of the Sides and Back of the most common Caterpillar, which feeds upon Cabbage, Cole-wort, and Turnep

Leaves,

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321 Leaves, which we have defcribed in the Catalogue of Cambridge-Plants, we have seen creep out small Maggots, to the Number fometimes of Threefcore, or more; which fo foon as ever they came forth, began to weave themselves filken Cafes of a yellow fhining Colour, where in they changed, and, after fome Time, came out thence in the Form of fmall Flies with four Wings; for a full Description and Hifto ry whereof, I fhall referr the Reader to the forementioned Catalogue. The like I have also observed in other Caterpillars of a different Kind, which have produced no leffer Number of Maggots, that in like manner immediately made themselves up in Cafes. O thers, inftead of changing into Aurelia's, às in the usual Process of Nature they ought to do, have turned into one, two, three, or more Flesh-Fly Cafes, at least contained fuch Cafes within them, out of which, after a while, were excluded Flesh-Flies. Other Caterpillars, as that called the Solitary Maggot, found in the dry Heads of Teafel, by a dubious Metamor phofis, fometimes changed into the Aurelia of a Butterfly, fometimes into a Fly-Cafe. You'll fay, How comes this to pafs? Must we not here neceffarily have Recourse to a fpontaneous Generation? I answer, No: The most that can be inferred from hence is, a Tranfmutation of Species; one Infect may, instead of generating another of its own Kind, beget one or more of a different. But I can by no means grant this. I do believe that thefe Flies Y

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Part II. do either caft their Eggs upon the very Bodies of the forementioned Caterpillars, or upon the Leaves on which they feed, all in a String; which there hatching, eat their Way into the Body, where they are nourished till they be come to their full Growth. Or it may be, the Fly may with the hollow and fharp Tube of her Womb punch and perforate the very Skin of the Eruca, and caft her Eggs into its Body. So the Ichneumon will convey her Eggs into, Caterpillars.

The Discovery of the Manner of the Generation of these Sorts of Infects I earnestly recommend to all ingenious Naturalifts, as a Matter of great Moment. For if this Point be but cleared, and it be demonstrated that all Creatures are generated univocally by Parents of their own Kind, and that there is no fuch thing as Spontaneous Generation in the World, one main Prop and Support of Atheifm is taken away, and their strongest Hold demolished: They cannot then exemplify their foolish Hypothefts of the Generation of Man and other Animals at first, by the Like of Frogs and Infects at this prefent Day.

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It will be farther objected, that there have live Toads been found in the midst of Timber Trees; nay, of Stones, when they have been fawn afunder.

To this I answer, that I am not fully fatiffied of the Matter of Fact. I am fo well acquainted with the Credulity of the Vulgar, and the Delight they, and many of the better

Sort

Sort too, have in telling of Wonders and ftrange Things, that I must have a Thing well attefted, before I can give a firm Affent

to it.

Since the Writing hereof, the Truth of these, Relations of live Toads found in the midst of Stones, hath been confirmed to me by sufficient and credible Eye-witneffes, who have feen them taken out. So that there is no doubt of the Matter of Fact.

But yet, fuppofe it be true, it may be accounted for. Thofe Animals, when young and little, finding in the Stone fome small Hole reaching to the Middle of it, might, as their Nature is, creep into it, as a fit Latibulum for the Winter, and grow there too big to return back by the Paffage by which they enter'd, and fo continue imprisoned therein for many Years; a little Air, by reason of the Coldness of the Creature, and its lying torpid there, fufficing it for Refpiration, and the Humour of the Stone, by reason it lay immoveable, and spent not, for Nourishment. And I do believe, that if those who found such Toads, had diligently fearched, they might have discovered and traced the Way whereby they enter❜d in, or fome Footsteps of it. Or elfe there might fall down into the lapideous Matter before it was concrete into a Stone fome fmall Toad, (or fome Toad Spawn) which being not able to extricate itself and get out again, might remain there imprisoned till the Matter about it were condenfed and Y 2

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