Zy ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS^ 135 



propagation was about to end ; thence was a pro- 

 portion aflumed which he fuppofes general. I 

 cannot think myfelf deceived in conceiving this 

 has mifled the author, as he mentions having dif- 

 covered the young and their defcendants in the 

 bodies of the old animalcula. Many of thefe 

 animals appear to be tranfparent folliculi, with 

 vjcficles or grains internally flrewed here and 

 there, very often including others fmaller. The 

 firft time of obferving animalcula, we are ea- 

 fily perfuaded that thefe veficles or granuli are 

 young. Many perfons prefent at my obfervations 

 were of this opinion ; and I cannot deny that I 

 was of the number. But in truth they are not 

 animals, which I can affirm from the mofl cer- 

 tain and indubitable proofs. Several animalcula 

 were ifolated in a watch-glafs ; and that they 

 might be ajl in the field of the microfcope after 

 the number had increafed, a little water was al- 

 ways left in the glafs. Thus fome individuals 

 might be felefted and recognifed. The granuli 

 themfeives aided me to this, becaufe they are 

 feldom or never in the fame pofition in one ani- 

 malcula as in another : fo it was eafy to obferve 

 whether they adually underwent any change. 

 But the number never diminifhed ; they remain- 

 ed invariably the fame during the whole period 

 of my examination j and at laft had increafed 

 amazingly. Ihus the granuli have no part in 



the 



