Fig. 23.—Larva of the Willow Moth. (From Lyonet's Monograph, 1750.)
Lyonet's dissection of the head is an extraordinary feat. The entire head is not more than a quarter of an inch in diameter, but in a series of seven dissections he shows all of the internal organs in the head. Fig. 26 shows two sketches exhibiting the nervous ganglia, the air tubes, and muscles of the head in their natural position.
Fig. 27 shows the nervous system of the head, including the extremely fine nervous masses which are designated the sympathetic nervous system.
Fig. 24.—Muscles of the Larva of the Willow Moth. (From Lyonet's Monograph.)
Fig. 25.—Central Nervous System and Nerves of the Same.
The extraordinary character of the drawings in Lyonet's monograph created a sensation. The existence of such complicated structures within the body of an insect was discredited, and, furthermore, some of his critics declared that even if such a fine organization existed, it would be beyond human possibilities to expose the details as shown in his sketches. Accordingly, Lyonet was accused of drawing on his imagination. In order to silence his critics he published in the second edition of his work, in 1752, drawings of his instruments and a description of his methods.
