84 MICROSCOPIC DISCOVERIES. j 



observe that each grain differs from the other, both in size ' 

 and figure ; some of them are perfectly round, others square, i 

 some conica], and the greater part of an irregular form. By 

 microscopes which magnify objects millions of times, we ^ 

 can discover in the grains of sand a new animal world ; for J 

 within their cavity dwell various insects. In the vegetable j 

 kingdom we are presented with a thick forest of trees and ' 

 plants, bearing leaves, branches, flowers, and fruits. Mouldi- ; 

 ness, when looked at by the naked eye, seems nothing but J 

 an irregular tissue of filaments ; but the magnifying glass 

 shows it to be a forest of small plants, which derive their i 

 nourishment from the moist substance which serves them , 

 as a base. The stems of these plants may be plainly distin- j 

 guished, and sometimes their buds, some shut and some.i 

 open. They have much similarity to mushrooms, which, \ 

 it is well known, are the growth of a single night ; but ^ 

 those in miniature, of which we are speaking, seem to come \ 

 to perfection in a much less space of time ; hence we account ; 

 for the extraordinary progress which mouldiness makes in a \ 

 few hours. A sort of dust, which covers some stones, has J 

 been found to consist of small mushrooms, raised on pedicles, \ 

 the heads of which, round the middle, were turned up at the \ 

 edges. Above their covering a multitude of small grains ap- 

 pear, shaped like cherries somewhat flattened ; and among \ 

 them several small red insects, which probably feed upon them. ^ 

 A small drop of ^e green surface of water, that has stood ] 

 for some time, has been found to be altogether composed of i 

 animalcules of several shapes and magnitudes. The mostj 

 remarkable were those that gave the water the green colour ; j 

 they were oval creatures ; they could contract and dilate 

 themselves, tumble over many times together, and then shoot i 

 away like fishes. \ 



If you slightly bruise some corns of pepper, and infuse j 

 them in water for a few days, and then expose a drop of it to i 

 the microscope, a number of animalcules will be visible, in ' 

 continual motion, going backwards and forwards in all di- \ 

 rections, turning aside when they meet each other, or when j 

 their passage is stopped by some obstacle. In other infu- \ 

 sions, as in that of new liay, differently shaped animalcules : 

 will be found. When the drop in which they swim, and : 

 which to them is like a pond, becomes diminished by evapo- \ 

 ration, they gradually retire towards the middle, where they j 



