4 SEMINAL VERMICULI. mh 
I think I have had too numerous and too de- 
cifive proofs to doubt that the phenomena feen 
in infufion animalcula of femen are totally dif- 
ferent from the phenomena exhibited by feminal 
vermiculi. May I not at once be permitted to 
oppofe my experiments to thofe of the celebrated 
De Buffon? I obferve that all the feminal fluids 
he has ftudied, and where he has difcovered the 
phenomena of which we have fpoken, have alfo 
been ftudied by me. I perceive that even more 
have been examined, and thofe both of cold and 
warm blooded animals. His obfervations on femi- 
nal fluids were only made at certain times, and in. 
one feafon. I judged it neceflary to extend mine 
to all feafons. My microfcopes were not infe- 
rior to his, nay, they were much better. How 
then is it poffible, that in the fame circumftances 
with the French naturalift, and even in fituations 
more advantageous for examining the phenomena 
of feminal vermiculi; how is it poffible, I fay, 
that thefe phenomena were never obferved? that 
I never obferved fome, or remarked a fingle one ? 
—What do I fay? Not only have I never feen 
any of the phenomena, but beheld what completely 
contradicted M. De Buffon’s obfervations, in all] 
the fluids, many, many times examined. Such 
for example is the imaginary a@tivity acquired by 
vermiculi, in proportion to the time they remain 
in femen ; fince direétly the reverfe happens, as 
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