Ephemeri vita, or, The natural history and anatomy of the Ephemeron, a fly that lives but five hours written originally in Low-Dutch by Jo. Swammerdam ...

Figure 1.

AA. THe Lung or Air-vessels of the Worm, which are two very remarkable & constantly open Air-vessels, composed as it were of some thousand of curled-like stiff-rings, by which the Air is conveyed to all the inward parts of the Worm; the same are placed on both sides, the length of the Worm, and waved Snake-like.

BB. The Air-vessels in the head of the Worm; the same are branched out of the two first men∣tioned great vessels, AA, and run to the Brain and Nerves.

CC. Branches of the Air-ves∣sels running to the Muscles of the Breast.

DDDD. Branches of the Air-vessels running to the Muscles of the Belly. The said Muscles are re∣presented on the other side of the body, wholly void of vessels, where the oblique ascending Muscles in some manner cover the straight Muscles; the use whereof is to move the rings of the belly; for driving forward the bloud and humours; and for discharging the Guts, in that they assist the Guts in their motion.

EEE. The Lung-vessels run∣ning to the Medulla Spinalis; where, about the globular parts thereof, they are very visible.

FFFFFF. The Lung or air-vessels running to the Milt, or Vesiculae seminales of the Male-worm, one of these Vesiculae or Bags are represented in the body, as it is there naturally placed; the other is placed out of the body, and delineated somewhat bigger than naturally it is, or than that which is represented in the body.

GGGGG. The air-vessels run∣ning to the Gills, which appear white like new-boil'd Silver; two of these Gills only are represented; for that the other ten are repre∣sented as cut off, to shew the ten Finns. See RRR.

H. The air-vessels running to the lower part of the Guts; as al∣so to the seed-vessels next to them dd.

III. The air-vessels running to the fat, the films, and the out∣ward skin, to cool and supply them.

KK. The air-vessels running to the Wing-cases, and appear outwardly like ribs or sinnes; their chiefest use I believe is, by the air conducted there to assist the ex∣pansion of the wings; to which purpose the wings themselves are supplyed with a great number of these air-vessels.

PPP. Three chief air-vessels running without the body to the Gills, the same are here represent∣ed

as cut off, the better to shew the under placed Finns, beset with brushy hair, RRRRR.

QQ. The middlemost of the three forementioned air-vessels, of the perfect white Gills; which is of a black colour, and appearing through almost in the midst of the transparent white Gills, whereby it seemeth as if the black stroke or line of the Gills, were marked with white pricks.

RRRRR. The five Finns on each side of the body, beset most on one side with dark gold-yellow, and stiff brushy hairs.

SS. A feather-like hairy part, placed under the first pair of Gills; of which I have no remembrance, neither what it is, nor also whether it is found about the other Gills.

YYYY. The Medulla spinalis constituted of eleven Nodes or globular partitions, from whence are derived the Nerves running through the whole body; and im∣part unto it sense and motion; see further concerning this in the 6th figure of the 4th Table.

ZZ. The places where the Medulla Spinalis as with strong ligatures is kept in its place.

**. The Optick nerves arising out of the brain, or otherwise out of the beginning of the Medulla Spinalis, at the first globule thereof.

aa. The Muscles of the breast, moving the legs; whither also some Nerves run from the Me∣dulla spinalis which communicate to them life, motion and sense.

bb. Some other Muscles of the breast, but cut through, which move the wings; to which also the Me∣dulla spinalis sends its Nerves.

dd. Two members which I con∣ceive are pertaining to the seed-vessels of the male; of which yet I am not very certain.

e. The Rectum or straight Gut cut off; which is better and neater represented in the fourth plate, Figure 5.

hh. The very artificial fold∣ings of the wing, as it is folded in the wing case KK. and is not to be seen but about the time when the Worm is ready for Change, by this wonderful manner of fold∣ing, and pleating of the wings, they can be again readily unfold∣ed, and expanded as is in some manner represented in the 6th plate, in the 2d, 3d & 4th figures.