A microscopic description of the eyes of the Monoculus polyphemus Linnaei / by William André ; communicated by Sir Joseph Banks.

  • André, William, 1743-1807.
Date:
1782
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A microscopic description of the eyes of the Monoculus polyphemus Linnaei / by William André ; communicated by Sir Joseph Banks. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    yf Mlcrofcoplc Defcription of the Eyes of the Monoculus Poly- phemus LiNnysI• By Mr, William Andt4, Surgeon-, commu- nicated by Sir Jofeph Banks, Bart, P, R, S. 1 • ■ ' •• * * ■ ... 'V * T-L .: y • ■ Read at the Royal Society, May 30, 1782. THE wonderful ftrudlure of the eyes of infedts in general, moft commonly illuftrated by that of the hibdlula, or Dragon-fly, cannot fail of ftriking with aftonifh- ment the naturalift who inveftigates the works of the great Creator in his moft minute productions. According to lewen- hoek, hook, and others, the corner of moft infeCts are made up of an infinite number of fmall, tranfparent, horny lenfes,. each refembling, in fame degree, a fmall magnifying glafs. This fhuCture prevails in the cornere of infeCts in general; but the Monoculus Polyphemus, or King Crab, is, among others, an exception to this rule.. The Monoculus Polyphemus, or King Crab, is a cruftaceous animal found in all the feas furrounding the continent of Arne-- rica and the Weft India iflands, and which frequently grows to a very large fize *. I (hall deferibe fo much of the Monoculus only as is neceflary to point out the fituation of the eyes, which have been looked upon as two in number only-f-, though in reality they are four. The largeft piece of the cruftaceous covering of this animal, when feparated from the reft of the fhell, has very much the fhape of a barber’s bafon, or the fore- * Bossu’s Travels, vol. I. p. 368, f linn^ei Syftema Naturx, tom. I. p. 1057. part