DELICATE OPERATIONS. 137

dissect the intestines of bees with the same accu-
racy and distinctness that others do those of larger
animals. He was particularly dexterous in the
management of small tubes of glass, no thicker
than a bristle, drawn to a very fine point at one
end, but thicker at the other. These he made use
of when he wanted to exhibit and inflate the
smallest vessels discovered by the microscope, to
trace, distinguish, and separate their courses and
communications, or to inject them with very subtle.
coloured liquids.”

We may have some idea how delicate and intri-
cate must have been the operations of this skilful
anatomist, when we learn that ‘‘he very often
spent whole days in cleansing and preparing the
body of a single caterpillar, in order to discover the
true construction of that insect’s heart!” At
length he attained to an unequalled skill in this
department of science, and as the result of his
labours, completed a work which Boerhaave, with
natural pride, rejoices over, as the production of
one of his countrymen, who (he complains) “are
in general so liberally reproached with a dulness
that requires the inventions of others to sharpen
it! I am, however, convinced,” he adds, ‘that
this instance will suffice to convince mankind that
we have among us uncommon geniuses, who have
made the most important discoveries, and, spider-