ANIMAL REPRODUCTIONS, 446 
equally furprifed. What M. Adanfon defires 
me to do is precifely that which would occafion 
the failure of the experiment’; for, how could 
one tear out, or eradicate with pincers, the difs 
ferent parts of a fnail, without caufing the great. 
eft internal diforder ? How is it poffible, in this 
way, to fucceed in eradicating all the parts? and, 
fuppofing that it was practicable, fhould we not 
endanger the fources of reparation? Is it not 
enough, that I am certain, by the moft attentive 
examination of the heads I have cut from my 
{nails, that they contain all the parts which cha« 
raCterife a head, fueh as the four horns, the 
mouth, the jaws, &c.? Was it neceflary to cut 
out the large horns with a botanic fealpel, in or. 
der to afcertain that the fnail would produce new 
ones? Was it not fufficient, that I had once and 
again beheld the origin and progrefs of the new 
aculated horns, that I had feen the new eye and 
the optic nerve firft appear in this wonderful re. 
production? It is improper to magnify, as M. 
Adanfon has done, the alacrity with which the 
{nail retracts its head the moment it is touched 
by the inftrument, for that alacrity is not fo great 
as to prevent a perfon, with a little addrefs, from 
effecting complete decapitation. I can even af. 
firm with truth, that it very feldom failed, when 
_the precautions mentioned in the former Memoir 
were taken. 
| M 
