Cockchafers, dragonflies, a common fly, the size of micro-organisms in comparison to a grain of sand
Date
12 November 1680
Creator
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632 - 1723, Dutch) , Naturalist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p21
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 394mm
width (page): 245mm
width (page): 245mm
Subject
Description
In a letter from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to Robert Hooke. Figs 5 and 8 are possibly by Leeuwenhoek himself.
Fig. 3: drawing of a male cockchafer, with the outline of a female specimen that was attached to the male.
Fig 4: two dragonflies. The coloured one is the female, the outlined one the male.
Fig. 5: sperm cell of a dragonfly.
Fig. 6: a common fly.
Fig. 8: a diagram to show the sheer smallness of the 'little animals' that Van Leeuwenhoek saw under his microscope. The circle ABCG represents the size of a grain of sand, D is one type of small animal which would fit 1728 times into a grain of sand. E and F are two smaller types of little animal that Van Leeuwenhoek could distinguish, which show the great number of little animals that occur within the size of a grain of sand.
Fig. 3: drawing of a male cockchafer, with the outline of a female specimen that was attached to the male.
Fig 4: two dragonflies. The coloured one is the female, the outlined one the male.
Fig. 5: sperm cell of a dragonfly.
Fig. 6: a common fly.
Fig. 8: a diagram to show the sheer smallness of the 'little animals' that Van Leeuwenhoek saw under his microscope. The circle ABCG represents the size of a grain of sand, D is one type of small animal which would fit 1728 times into a grain of sand. E and F are two smaller types of little animal that Van Leeuwenhoek could distinguish, which show the great number of little animals that occur within the size of a grain of sand.
Object history
The letter and images were also published in:
Printed in Philosophical Collections, 3 (1681), pp. 51-58.
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Ondervindingen en Beschouwingen der onsigtbare geschapenen waarheden, vervat in verscheydenen Brieven (Leiden: Daniel van Gaesbeeck, 1684), pp. 29-60.
Also published in the Latin edition of Van Leeuwenhoek's letters: Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Arcana Naturae Detecta (Delft: Krooneveld, 1695), pp. 6-27.
Printed in Philosophical Collections, 3 (1681), pp. 51-58.
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Ondervindingen en Beschouwingen der onsigtbare geschapenen waarheden, vervat in verscheydenen Brieven (Leiden: Daniel van Gaesbeeck, 1684), pp. 29-60.
Also published in the Latin edition of Van Leeuwenhoek's letters: Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Arcana Naturae Detecta (Delft: Krooneveld, 1695), pp. 6-27.
Related fellows
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632 - 1723, Dutch) , Naturalist
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Martin Lister (1639 - 1712, British) , Physician
Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural Philosopher
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Martin Lister (1639 - 1712, British) , Physician
Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural Philosopher
Associated place