Account of the Dances of the Turkijh Dervifes, If I 



When the Scieh of the Dervifes dies they never receive it with the open 



his eldeft fon fucceeds him in his dig- hand ; whatever is offered them, they 



nity, that is to fay to that place which take hold of it with the thumb, 



his father enjoyed. With regard to the which they afterwards keep clofely 



other fons they are free to lead the fqueezed againfl their fingers. They 



fame kind of life as their fathers. never fay I thank you, but onlv 



Thefe monks make a vow of pover- E^vallah, that is to fay, may it be nuell 



ty, and when charity is given them, for God, 



MEMOIR ON THE REGENERATION of certain parts of thb 



BODIES OF FISHES. 



BY MR. BROUSSONET, 



IN certain claffes of animals we ob- mals after having been cut off. This 



fervefome parts fufceptible of mo- phenomenon appears very furprifmg 



tion, which reproduce themfelves after on the firlt view, becaufe numerous 



they have been deflroyed ; but this re- examples have taught us to confidcr 



produdive power is much lefs fenfible that organ as abfoiutely nscelTary to 



in animated beings, the organization the exiftence of animals, though ex- 



of which is more perfect, than in thofe perience teaches us, that it is lefs ef- 



the organization of which being lefs fential in proportion as their organiza- 



complicated, feems rather to approach tion is lefs perfeff. The tortoife, the 



that of vegetables. different parts of which, in their 



Among all the experiments which ftrudure, exhibit lefs perfedion than 



have been made to prove the poffibility thofe of animals the blood of which 



of the regeneration of different parts is warm, lives almoft two months after 



of the fame animal, there are fome, its head has been cut off. 

 without doubt, which we are warrant- The parts which prefent examples 



ed to diftruft; and it has happened of this kind of regeneration are in 



more than once, perhaps, that when the greater part of animals foft, of a 



we have imagined that we divided the homogeneous fubflance, and alm.ofl 



fame individual into diflinft portions, like that of the reft of the body. Thev 



we divided only a habitation common reproduce tnemfelves almoft as the 



to feveral, which remaining entire in nails, horns, &c. in animals which 



each portion,have renewed their habita- have warm blood; a circumftance 



tion. Numerous obfervations, however, v/hich ought to make us confider as* 



leave us in no doubt refpeding the re- fomething extraordinary, the new for- 



produdionof certain organs in marine mation of parts compofed of fub- 



animals, in earth-worms, in fnails, fiances hard and foft, and formed of 



and in a great number of other fpecies feveral articulations, 

 of the fame iamilies. The parts even This regeneration of articulate parts 



which we confider as efTential to life, has been obferved in animals of two 



fuch as the head, grov/ up on thofe ani- different orders. Some, fuch as cray- 



*' went to the fauxhoiirgs Santais^ to fee the religious ceremonies of the Dervifes, called 

 *' Rufai. They began their exercife by turning round, and finging in each other's ears, 

 *' after which they agitated thsir bodies with different motions, and in a mod violent 

 *' manntr, repeating the words illali^ hou, hou. After four hours fpent in this manner, 

 *' they became as it Mrere frantic, a fituation which appeared tome not to be alto'-ether 

 " counterfeited. Some threw themfelves on the ground, and knocked their heads 

 *' againfl the walls, others foamed at the mouth, fell into convulfions, and cried out, that 

 " they faw the prophet. At laft they brought fpikcs of red hot iron, upon which the 

 *' mofl. fervent threw themfelves before our eyes, whilft others held them in their mouths 

 *' until they became' cool, l^he ceremony concluded wich fome miracles, which the 

 " fuperior performed by touching the iick ani the lame." 



fifhes. 



