14® on worms. March i^*- 



portion of the head, is sooner effected than the repro- 

 duction of an equal portion of the tail. 



Being lastly come to the middle parts, " I was desi- 

 rous," says he, " to know, whether both a ne,w head 

 and a new tail could be produced. I found that they 

 really are both renewed, provided a large portion of 

 the head be not taken off ; for then the same thing 

 will happen that we mentioned before. If a small 

 portion of the anterior part be cut off, both head and 

 tail will spring forth ; but, as we have already obser- 

 ved, the head appears first, and then the tail, accord- 

 ing to the law to which nature was found to adhere. 

 The difficulty, therefore, with regard to the inter- 

 mediate parts, lies in the reproduction of the head ; 

 and although this often fails, the tail will still begin 

 to be regenerated ; but this dies sooner or later, to- 

 gether with the middle part, 



" Hitherto the animal is supposed to have been cut 

 in three parts, vt%. the head, the tail, and middle 

 piece. I was then induced to inquire what happened 

 to the earth-worm when cut in four, five, six, or 

 more parts, which I ascertained by a great variety of 

 experiments." The result of these experiments is 

 •unknown to me. It is not given in the fliort efsay 

 from which I quote ; and which was publiflied only 

 as the prospectus of a larger work, which I have 

 never seen. Perhaps it may be known to you, or 

 to, some of yoiir readers, who can likewise inform me 

 whether the facts related by the Abbe, with respect 

 to the reprodiTction of earth-worms, are entitled to 

 the fullest credit. 



