Two Letters Formerly Written to Mr. H. O, by Dr. M.L. Ist. concerning Some Very Aged Persons in the North of England. 2d. about the Projection of the Threads of Spiders, of Bees Breeding in Cases Made of Leaves, of a Viviparous Fly, and of Great Numbers of Maggots Observed at the Time of the Plague, A. D. 1666

it were bound up: for if they were separated from one another, then would the groser parts of the Excrements get among them, as often as the Bowels are extended. Now the threds not being crowded so much when the guts are stretched, the Chyle enters more easily into the vessels lying among them, and afterwards upon every Contraction of the guts (because then the threds are squeezed together) is conveyed into the body. I said before that the threds which make the innermost Muscle of the Bowels, lye with their one end in the hollow of the Bowels, which end is for the most part covered with blood-vessels and other vessels. Their other end is fastened to a Skin or Membrane which probably is taken by Anatomists for the Innermost Coat of the Bowels, as in the line D. E. Fig. 7 may be seen. In this Membrane I discovered many Globules of fat, which in some places lay close and crowded together, and therefore appeared in different shapes. In other places lay some fat Particles, at a distance from the rest, these all inclined to an oval shape as Fig. 9. In another place a little distant lay ovalish Particles in a right line, as Fig. 10. In another place the Particles lay so thick together, that they crowded one another, and appeared as in Fig. 11. A Letter formerly written to Mr. H.O. containing the Projection of the Threds of Spiders, and Bees breeding in cases made of Leaves, as also, a Viviparous Fly, &c. by Dr. M. Lister. I am glad to understand my Letter came safe to your Hands. Give me leave to entertain you now about the Subject of Insects, which I see by your last Phil. trans. Num. 65, many persons are now curious in. And And not to go out of that Tract, I take the forking of some Threads (for the Doctor excepts the most) to be merely accidental, even as it is to our Hair, neither do I think that any such thing is designedly done by the Animal: and, for as much as I have observed, Spiders threads of themselves are exceeding slick and smooth, and this was not unobserved by the Antients: Pliny in the praise of Italian Linnen says, Redovinis summa tenuitas, nulla lanugo, nervositas filo æqualior pene quam Araneis. There is, indeed, a dividing in the projection of the Threads of many sorts of Spiders, and especially among those which we distinguish by the name of Lupi, which tribe is most frequent and particularly delighted in failing, yet this dividing is much of another nature than Forking. These Lupi will dart a whole Stamen or sheaf at once, consisting of many Filaments yet all of one length, all divided each from the other, and distinct, until some chance either snap them off, or entangle them; but for the most part, you may observe, that the longer they grow, the more they spread and appear to a diligent observer like the numerous Rays in the tail of a blazing Star. As for that which carries them away in the Air so swift off hand, it is, as I formerly hinted, partly their sudden leap, and partly the length and number of the Threads projected, the stream of the Air and Wind beating more forcefully upon them, and thus we see a Rope that unexpectedly flips, comes home with a seeming violence, and partly (and that much too) the posture and management of their Feet, which, at least by some sorts of them, I have observed to have been used very like Wings or Oares, the several legs (like our fingers) being sometimes close joined and other times opened, again bent or extended, &c. according to the several necessities and will of the flier. To fly they cannot strictly be said, they being carried into the Air by external force; but they can, in case the wind suffer them, steer their Course, and perhaps mount and defend descend at pleasure: and to the purpose of rowing themselves along the Air, 'tis observable, that they ever take their flight backwards, that is, their head looking a contrary way, like a Sculler upon the Thames. It is scarce credible to what height they will mount, which yet is precisely true, and a thing easily to be observed by one that shall fix his Eye some time on any part of the Heavens, the white Webb's at a vast distance very distinctly appearing from the Azure Sky: but this is in Autumn only; and that in very fair and calm weather, for in wind they delight as little (if possible) for them to mount, as for the Indians in Pliny to fight a battle with their Reed Arrows. Divers sorts have divers ways and particularities in performing this surprizing Phenomenon. I am not willing to hasten a History which further leisure may improve, yet partly to excite the curious, and partly to satisfy the promise I made in my former printed Letter, you may command from me, when you please, a set of general Enquiries on this subject of Spiders, most of them already answered by me, &c. founded upon new discoveries. The Account given of the Bees breeding in Cases made of Leaves, Phil Trans. Numb. 65. exactly agrees with what I have observed. I add, that they are not very scrupulous in the choice of those Leaves, but will make use even of exotick Plants, such as the blew Pipe or Syringe Tree. There is a very strange Oeconomy of nature yet unsolved: The furthermost Bee, says Mr. Willughby, makes her way out along the Channel through all the intermediate Cartrages: and according as these Channels run upwards or downwards in the body of the Tree, the Maggot Bee at the far or upper end of each Channel is first laid, and it should seem both hatched and perfected first, and must either wait until the rest be so too, or of necessity by working through their Cases destroy them. If it be so, it is very strange. But I take it otherwise, and perhaps it will be found by diligent observers hereafter, that that that Bee which is nearest day, although it be last laid, is yet the first hatched; and I ground my Conjecture upon this, that 'tis probable, that the Eggs in the Mother are all fit for laying or equally ripe and forward (as we say) at the time that the first of them was laid, but are not therefore all laid by the Dam, until she has provided them of Meat and a House, each separately, as is the nature of Bees: and ye in recompense, the warmth of her body, or rather the daily encreasing Heat of the Summer-season, to which the Mother Bee is continually exposed, whilst the first laid Eggs are sheltered in their deep Channels; hastens their Vitality so much, that they are hatched Worms, and begin to feed before the first laid, and consequently are first perfected into Bees. But this is conjecture only, and not observation, and to this purpose, let me observe to you, that we are not always without our Viviporous Flies, although in a much colder Region than Italy; The first time I took notice of them, was the 2d. year of the Sickness raging in Cambridge 1666. I have of this sort some by me at present, which you may command, for I do not find them cut or described either in Aldrovandus or Mouffet, though this sort of Fly be very frequent with us. And this was not the only strange Phenomenon, that I observed among Insects, besides other things of nature, particularly that year: for being in Harvest-time at Bessenburn in Cambridge-shire, at the House of Mr. W. A. he invited me along with him into the Fields, where, Cozen, says he, I will shew you a wonder, which, indeed, was so to me, for lifting up the Barley-Cocks with his Cane, there appeared millions of Maggots on the Corn Lands, and in their Barns too, the Floor would be covered with them that fell from the Carts. The Maggots were about half an Inch long, no thicker than a Pigeon's feather, of a white colour colour, somewhat shaded with an Isabella or faint yellowish stripes the length of the Worm; they had 14 feet, after the manner of many Caterpillars, and I was almost confident would have produced some sort of Moath. I took up about a score of them, and put them into a Box, but they immediately offended me with an ungrateful and strong stink, which yet is not usual to the Caterpillar kind. However I kept them 2 days, but by reason of some Apprehensions and fear the Ladies had of them, where I sojourned, and upon their intreacies I rid myself of them; I only observed, that the Excrements which they voyded, were little hard Pellets of pure white flower, like that of Barly. These and other things might be Arguments of the power hot weather hath in the hasty quickning the Births of Insects, as well as producing them; but I conceive it less useful to Philosophy to dispute, then to deliver faithfully matters of Fact. December 23, 1970. A Letter written to Mr. H. O. concerning some very aged Persons in the North of England, by Dr. M. L. Since my last to you I have been in Craven, where I was not unmindful of your Commands; but, indeed, I find it a very hard, and troublesome business to verify precisely the Ages of such Persons, as either affirm themselves, or are believed very old: the best Informations and Reports I could get I send you. Robert Montgomery now being living in Skipton, but born in Scotland, tells me that he is 126 years of Age; the oldest persons in Skipton say, that they never knew him other than an old Man; he is exceedingly decayed of late, but yet goes about a begging; to which his debauchery (as is said) has brought him. Mary Allison of Thurlby in the parish of Skipton dyed 1668, aged about 108. She spun a Web of linnen Cloath a year or two before she dyed, which as they say, the Countess of Pembroke keeps by her as a Rarity. I. Sagar of Burnley in Lancashire about 10 miles off Skipton, dyed about the year 1668, and was of the Age (as is reported) of 112. Tho. Wiggan of Carlton in Craven dyed 1670, at the Age of 108 and odd months: he went about till within few weeks of his last, and was a very fair Corps. The Register of Maladale was looked over upon wagers, and this account (as is said) found true. Frances Woodworth of Carlton, dyed 1662, of the Age of 102 and some odd months: the Mother of 7 Children, always a very lean woman, yet to her very last went about as straight and upright as a young Girl, and of perfect memory: her sight and hearing decayed, though not wholly deprived of either. This by Information formation from her Son Robert Woodworth now living in Carlton, of the Age of 69, as able a man to ditch and plough as any in the Town. William Garthrop and William Baxter of Carlton inform me, that they two being upon the Jury at York 1664, they saw and spake with in the Assize-Hall, two Men, Father and Son, summoned as Witnesses in some Cause or other out of Dent, a small Valley in Craven 8 miles beyond Settle, the Father told them, that he and his Son made twelvescore between them, that his Son was above 100' and that he wanted not half a year of 140. he told them further that he could and did make Fish-hooks as small as would take a Trout with a single hair. They observed that the Son looked much the older, and had the whiter hair, this Son he had by a second Wife: They could not remember the names of these Persons. I add, that it is to be observed, that the Food of all this mountainous Country is exceeding course, as salted and dried Beef, and lower-leavened Oat bread. I am confident many scores of persons might be found of the age of 100 years among these Northern Mountains, but 'tis troublesome to verify, and you must not take these Reports as Authentick and exact; but yet credible enough, to make the matter worth the Examination. March 17 1660.