286 On Animalcules^— particularly on Die Polypes.- 



That the whole tribe of animalcules possess animal functions, 

 and are not merely organic particles without these powers, as 

 Buffon and some others have imagined, is extremely evident ; 

 although there are some very peculiar phicnomena attendinj^ 

 polypes which appear irreconcileable with this idea; but perhaps 

 these peculiarities famish the best means we have of ascertaining^ 

 the real nature and character of this curious race of beings. 

 That they possess animation we liave the strongest evidence, and 

 that they have qualities corresponding to the vegetable character 

 seems equally certain ; and in my former remarks I have en- 

 deavoured to show that their organization as a mass is not even 

 so complete as that of vegetables : therefore these seemingly h- 

 reconcileable principles,and the contrary results that attend them, 

 force upon us the conclusion, that they are merely portions of 

 mucilaginous matter, in which a great number of smaller ani- 

 malcules reside, and that these masses owe their organic cha- 

 racter and animal functions, as well as their curious varieties, to 

 the influence of these little creatures. 



Thus we obtain an easy solution to the wonderful fecundity 

 these beings display in their povvers of reproduction ; for, if they 

 are congeries of smaller animalcules, it readily explains why eacli 

 part when cut off from the rest should possess this reproduciiig 

 power ; for each part so cut must contain a number of these 

 smaller animalcules; consequently they will possess the same 

 functions as the collection from which they were taken, and will 

 instinctively exert their energies in giving to the portions of 

 mucilaginous matter to which they belong all the characters the 

 original mass possessed, which are doubtless the most appro- 

 priate to their capacities and enjoyment. 



The experiments and observations which led to these conclu- 

 sions were made during the last summer; but in the following 

 autumn and winter I obtained other results more decidedly in 

 favour of this transforming principle. About the latter end of 

 September I procured some water from a stagnant pool covered 

 with a large quantity of green matter, which appeared to be a 

 species of the conferva; this I anticipated would furnish a great 

 number of interesting objects for the microscope. Upon ex- 

 amining a part of this water I found it crowded with a vast 

 number of the enchelis, or small portions of green matter endowed 

 with a degree of animation; and agreeably to what I have sup- 

 uosed, they evidently derived this animation from the small ani- 

 malcules they contained, which have generally been mistaken for 

 intestines. These portions when seen distinctly appear rather 

 more elliptical than an e^g, and each end is nearly transparentj 

 but generally the middle part seems the abode of about twenty 

 or more smaller animalcules, which swing from side to side when 



these 



