150 



v 



gus, stomach, and intestines. The aliment is there seen 

 to digest before the eyes of the observer ; he follows it 

 in its passage ; sees it descend from the mouth towards 

 the anus, and pass through every part of the canal be- 

 tween these two extremities. But can machines, so 

 compounded as these, be taken to pieces without injur- 

 ing their economy thereby ? 



That suffers not in any respect on that account. 

 Strictly speaking, it affects these insects no more than 

 being divided in the midst of the body ; each half not 

 -only continues to live and move, but that which had no 

 head presently forms another, and \ve may clearly per- 

 ceive a new tail spring forth in that part which was des- 

 titute of one. In less than three days the two moieties 

 become two complete worn.. 



It is more extraordinary for fourths, eighths, and six- 

 teenth parts of our worms, to assume a head and tail : 

 this is so speedily effected, that in a few days, ail these 

 fragments are so many perfect insects, and after a few 

 weeks, attain to the same length as the entire worm. 

 New rings and new viscera unfold themselves : the pv.rls 

 re-produced differ in no respect from the ancient ones. 

 Tii us the machine is formed anew by its own strength ; 

 and the section, which might be a means of destroy- 

 ing them, serves only to make them conspicuous. 



I have not yet sufficiently treated of this particular. 

 The six and twentieth part of worms, to wit, perfect 

 atoms, are able to re-integrate themselves extremely 

 well; and in the space of some months, are found to be 

 worms of several inches in length. In these living atoms, 

 as well as in the most considerable fragments, the circu- 

 lation seems to be performed with the same regularity 

 as in the whole worm : each atom has its little heart, 

 and we may clearly perceive that this little heart is no 

 other than a very small portion of the grand artery of 

 the worm, whereof the atom was before a part 



\Ve may weary ourselves in cutting the head off the 

 same individual ; we shall have the same task to repeat 

 continually, because there always shoots forth a new 



