544- M. Treviranus on the Organised Bodies in 



In Dr Rudolphi's account of the spermatozoa of the Paludina 

 vivipara, we find two kinds of animalcules described. First, 

 worm-shaped, transparent bodies, one end of which terminates 

 in a point ; the other is furnished with a tuft of delicate fibres. 

 The movements of these bodies, which are very active within the 

 testicle, are oscillatory or undulating; but they appear to be in- 

 capable of locomotion. Secondly, linear or hair-shaped bodies, 

 with spiral ends, very like those described by Professor Wag- 

 ner, and exhibiting a peculiar vibratory motion within the tes- 

 ticle as well as in the vas deferens. Both these bodies, when 

 mixed with water, exhibit alterations in shape, which consist, 

 according to Dr Rudolphi, in the sudden appearance of vesicles 

 and perforations, or loops, at some certain part of the body. The 

 globules, or vesicles, he represents as occurring in different 

 . forms, and under different circumstances. Sometimes they are 

 in aggregated masses without peduncles ; frequently they are 

 seen collected in clusters with their peduncles attached to a tena- 

 cious mass. In other instances they are elongated, and present 

 an anterior delicate peduncle in addition to that which attaches 

 them to the common tuft. 



On the whole, however, these observers do not differ much 

 from Treviranus ; nor does there appear any thing in their de- 

 scriptions calculated to invalidate his statements. The tufts of 

 Treviranus are described both by Wagner and Rudolph, with 

 this exception, that they have not taken any notice of their ad- 

 hesion to the sides of the secreting vessel. Professor Wagner 

 describes these tufts as originally enclosed in a membranous 

 vesicle. This, however, has not been noticed by any other ob- 

 server, and very probably depended on an optical illusion. It 

 will be perceived that Wagner corresponds very closely with 

 Treviranus in his account of the globular bodies ; and I may add, 

 that in the figures of these bodies, as delineated in their plates, 

 there is a very remarkable similitude. There are also very ob- 

 vious points of resemblance between the descriptions of the pe- 

 dunctilated vesicles given by Rudolph and Treviranus. It 

 would appear that the chief sources of difference are referable to 

 the means of examination employed, and to the existence of pre- 

 conceived opinions. The instruments used by Dr Rudolph and 

 Professor Wagner seem to be greatly inferior in power to those 



