( So ) 



rather to the membrane which covered it. Obferving this by the mi- 

 crofcope, I faw that the particles of which it confiftcd, were all of a 

 iimilar form, and alfo placed fide by fide, in regular order, and tlie 

 jnembranes or fkins of thefe particles, as it were, united, or clofely 

 joined together. I feparated a part of this fubftance from the Ihell 

 iind placing it before the microfcope, I found that all the regularly 

 difpofed particles were much longer than they were broad, alfo that 

 one of their edges was roundifh and thick, the other terminating in 

 a point or edge, and moreover that in many of them one fide was 

 rifing, and the other flat ; in a word, many of thefe particles, in 

 fliape, were vejy like a Mufcle ; and I not only thought that they 

 were the eggs or fpawn of tlie Mufcle, but I alfo obferved, that when 

 I broke the flrong membranes inclofing them, feveral of the eggs, 

 which were in iLape like a Mul'cle, appeared lying fingly and feparte- 

 ly on the outfide of that membrane ; and when I feparated thefe un- 

 formed Mufcles fingly, one from another, I imagined that I could 

 fee the membranes or tendons of which they were compofed. 



I alfo faw the fliells, membranes, or coverings of feveral eggs 

 which were empty, and which I faw, or more properly fpeaking, 

 imagined to be barren eggs. In other parts of this fub fiance I faw 

 eggs wherein I concluded that there were unformed Mulcles, which 

 conclufion I gathered from the multitude of vefl'els which I faw, 

 which veflels conftituted the (hape or figure of a Mufcle. 



Thefe eggs were not larger than a grain of common fcowering- 

 fand. 



Moreover, I obferved, that the fmall or taper ends of the fl:ells 

 were feldom or never covered with the fpawn or eggs, the real'on of 

 which I took to be, that at the time the Mufcles emit their Ipawn, 

 they lie with the flat and broad part, as fliewn at Jig. 7, A B C D, 

 iippermofi, and that part marked with the letter A, next the ground, 

 £>r bottom ; for I have often obferved that when Mufcles have 



