I ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. l^f- 



It muft be remarked, that there are appointed 

 times for thefe minute animals to originate, and 

 be deftroyed, as with other creatures ^ihat rTuiti- 

 ply to excefs. Nature has with the wifeft pro- 

 vifion deflined, that when one fpecies beg'n> to 

 be exceffively numerous, it is reduced, either 

 from the greater part of the individuals perifliing 

 by difeafe, or a violent death by the voracity of 

 other animalcula : tor it is a perpetual and in- 

 violable law with numberlefs animals, that one 

 lives on another, and mutual deilru6tion pre- 

 ferves each fpecies. The fame law is mamtained 

 in the originating and de{lru£i:ion of our animal- 

 cula. An infufion fwarming to day will, in a fevv 



day., 



to have extended his refearcbes to marine Ajiimalcu'.a 

 Infiiforia. ' The fait water, in which vegetable fubftancjs 



* macerate and diilolve, contains numerous microlcopic be- 



* iiigs. Thofe places in particular, where it is llagnant and 



* fo fhallow that fubaquatic plants die and ar^ decompofed, 



* fwarm with thefe minute animals. The fame phenomenon 



* happens in fea water kept in veficls, with vegetable fub- 



* fiances diflblving. But what are the laws of nature reru- 



* lating marine infufion animalcula ? Are they the fame 

 ' with thofe to v/hich the animalcula of frcfli water are fub- 



* jedl ? Some of thefe propagate by the natural divifion of 



* the body ; others are viviparous, and fome are oviparous. 

 ' — Marine animalcula propai2;ate exaflly in this manner.' 

 Lfttera Rclatlva a Diverfe Produzion? Marin:. — T. 



