I. ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. I33 



by many points, appeared : each had its appro- 

 priate fibrilH and confequent vortex. Belides the 

 uftial contradion and extenfion, the animalcula 

 were full of agitations and contorfions, and al- 

 ways feparating more from each other, chang- 

 ing their mutual pofition, until the two holes and 

 vortices became diametrically oppofite. — The fe- 

 paration advanced ; and in half an hour from the 

 :firft obfervation, they were connected only by a 

 point. The filament, which during the whole 

 time of dividing periodically contrafted and ex- 

 tended, was no longer common to both animal- 

 cula, but belonged to one whofe only motion 

 was vibrating the fibrilli, retracing them, and 

 extending itfelf. On the contrary, the other ani- 

 malcule was occupied with bending into different 

 forms, in contorfions, and revolving on its own 

 axis. At lafl it feparated from its companion, 

 began to fwim in the liquid, and very foon left 

 the field of the microfcope. 



This obfervation was a rule for experiment on 

 many more of the fame fpecies ; and I uniformly 

 obtained the fame refults by iiblating them in 

 watch-glaffes. A little cleft was feen at the an- 

 terior part of the animalcule, dividing the hole 

 afunder. The cleft encreafed ; the vortex be- 

 came double ; and each poition acquired the rude 

 figure of an animalcule. The feparation advan- 

 jced ; the fhape grew more perfed ; and divifion 

 i 3 being 



