Uf SjEMINAL VERMICULI, 299, 



folid, PI. 2. fig. 5. Thefe fpherules, of a darkilh 

 colour to the eye, fwani through the hquid in 

 every diretlion, advanced, retreated, mutually 

 avoided each other, immerfed themfelves deep in 

 the fluid, and ceafed to move in a moment. In 

 a word, they had many motions and properties 

 peculiar to infufion animalcula. Their number 

 was infinite ; their courf ■ continued a quarter of. 

 an hour, then they (topped and moved no more. 

 I repeated the experiment five times, exprcffing 

 the fluid of tho milt anew, and the confequences 

 were the fame. If any frefli liquid was mixed 

 with the femen^ I was fure of putting the fpheri- 

 cal corpufcula in motion, or rather of increafing 

 their motion ; but, if the liquid was ardent or 

 corrofive, inftead of being increafed, it was de- 

 ft royed. 



Having at that time water newts, I cut the tef- 

 ticles of a male in pieces, and expreffed the fluid 

 which was thick and glutinous. Applied to the 

 microfcope, the appearance changed : there was 

 an immenfe number of long flender corpufcula. 

 Some were extended in aftraight line, others curv- 

 ed, fome folitary, others entangled like a fkein of 

 thread. I examined thofe that \Vere fmgle as the 

 moft eafily diftinguifhed. Each corpufcle was 

 compofed of a body and a very long appen- 

 dage, fig. 6. They moved with difficulty, the 

 greater part of the body being immeried in the 



vilcous 



