Ill SEMINAL VERMICUJU. 33I' 



the folid or filamentous part of the femen diflblvi 

 mg, they even do not attach themfelves to it, as 

 has been demonftrated. When they are fovtnd 

 there, it is on account of the fluid part, which 

 is their natural abode, mixing with the folid. 

 This is doubtlefs the caufe of M. de Buffon*s 

 error. He faw the thick and filamentous parts 

 in motion, and, amidfl the agitation, vermiculi 

 proceeded from it : he even obferved the num- 

 ber increafe, in proportion as the grofs and folid 

 parts decreafed ; and remarked that the number" 

 was greateft when the filaments had entirely dif- 

 appeared. Allowing himfelf to be deceived by 

 thefe appearances, it was eafy to believe the de- 

 compofition of the filaments was the produftivc 

 caufe. But, in truth, the vermiculi pre-exifled 

 in the filaments ; they were concealed and enve- 

 loped in the parts immerfed in the feminal fluid, 

 and only when difengaged did they become vi- 

 fible to the obferver, nearly in the fame manner 

 as if one had fleeped a piece of ice in an infuficHi 

 full of animalcula, and taking it out, carried it 

 to the fire, as the ice melted, it would exhibit 

 the animalcula that had infmuated themfelves in- 

 to the crevices. 



M. de Buffon, by a very fimple experiment^ 

 might have fatisfied himfelf, that the vermiculi; 

 exifled before dilfolution of the femen. He 

 fhould firfl have examined the fluid part, which^ 



on 



