1857.] Ohio Pomologlcal Society. 417 



under a thin piece of glass to liold tliem still. Their bodies are 

 transparent and exhibit distinctly their interior structure. 



The small round particles, with which they seem almost entirely 

 filled, are probably the cells of the vinegar plant, commonly termed 

 "mother," upon which they subsist; the large irregular white spots 

 are eggs, and these can be seen by the patient observer to hatch out 

 in the body of the parent eel, and its infantile motions viewed. 

 Several instances of this kind have been noticed where the perfectly 

 formed young one was moving actively about throughout the entire 

 length of its parent's body. 



When the observer for the first time views a group of these 

 animals thus magnified and briskly writhing in their snaky motions, 

 he suddenly withdraws his eye from the instrument feeling a crawling 

 sensation all over, and resolves he will eat no more vinegar ; the 

 idea of swallowing such hideous snakes alive is too much for any 

 one's stomach. But it is not probable that they are unwholesome 

 for they are found in all vinegar containing much mucilage, such as 

 that made from cider. In that entirely free from mucilage none 

 are found, for it is upon that they subsist, and not upon the vinegar. 



The addition of sulphuric acid, which is sometimes made by dis- 

 honest dealers to give sharpness to a poor article, is fatal to these 

 little animals. We have found vinegar in our market however that 

 was very strong, entirely free from oil of vitriol, and not an animal- 

 cule in it. Such is probably the best and most wholesome vinegar. 



It is the general impression that all the food we eat and the water 

 we drink contains animalcule of some kind, but this is not true. 

 Ordinary well water is free from them, and when an article of food 

 contains them it is usually stale and unfit to be eaten ; thus spoiled 

 flour or sugar is frequently filled with them, and the stagnant waters 

 of ponds and ditches, rich in vegetable matter, swarm with an 

 almost infinite number of species. 



In shape, mode of progression and general structure, most of 

 them differ entirely from animals that can be seen with the naked 

 eye. We will select some of the most interesting among them to be 

 illustrated in a future number. 



Ohio Pomologioal Society. — A meeting of this Society is 

 appointed to be held at Cincinnati, commencing on Monday, Sept. 

 14th, and continuing several days (or evenings), during the time of 

 the State Fair. 



VOL. II., IX. — 27. 



