£12 ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. T. 



' apparatus was placed before a compound microf- 



* cope, made by CufF, which his Excellency 



* the Conte di Firmian had prefented to me. 

 ' The hollow was filled with liquid, containing 

 ' lively and vigorous animalcula ; and I kept my 

 ' eye intent on them, while another perfon work- 

 ' ed the machine : I fucceeded thus in killing 

 ' them with a fliock of no great ftrength, and 

 ' witii a fmall jar. The animalcula fuffered ei- 

 ' ther by receiving the fhock or being in the vi- 

 ' cinity when it paffed j thofe at the bottom of 

 ' the hollow remaining alive. One thing I re- 



* colle£i: to have particularly remarked, that the 

 ' animalcula killed aflumed a briftly appearance, 

 ' like a microfcopic fponge, and were more 

 ' opaque than the reft ; from the fuperficial af- 

 ' perities occafioned by the fhock, they feemed 

 ' larger than when alive. I was in this manner 

 ' convinced of the truth of the experiment ; and 

 ' being afterwards engaged in other matters, as 

 ' I ftill am, thought no more of it. Excufe the 

 ' brevity of the recital and the drynefs of the fub- 



* jeQ: ; it does not arife from indifference to fuch 

 ' agreeable ftudies, but the neceffity which you 

 ' well know I am under of applying to fubjefts 



* lefs interefting. I have the honour to be, with 

 '. the utmoil efteeni and friendihip, your moft de- 

 ' voted, obliged fervant and friend, 



' Milan, 6 Jan. 1774. Pietro Moscatu" 



I 



