48 THE UNIVERSE. 



This kind of life, by compelling the animals to rest for a 

 considerable while contracted and motionless, has induced 

 the belief that they die at such times. This impression was 

 strengthened by the fact that so soon as ever they are 

 placed in a drop of water they swell, recover animation, and 

 again take on an active existence. This very simple fact 

 the believers in palingenesis looked upon as a resurrection. 

 But this pretended revival is only the same phenomenon as 

 is exhibited by the snail, which, when placed in a dry spot, 

 buries itself in its shell till a little moisture is imparted 

 to it. 



It has been maintained that the rotifer when shrivelled 

 up is absolutely devoid of moisture, but this is not the case. 

 When it is thoroughly dried it never recovers. 



The prestige of these resurrections was fated to vanish in 

 the laboratory of the Museum of Natural History at Rouen. 

 Many of my pupils joined with me in bringing back science 

 to rational views. Professor Pennetier, by his memorable 

 labors, proved that the Anguillulse do not revive. M. Tinel 

 did the same with the Tardigrades, and I myself as far as 

 regards the Rotifers. 1 However, although faith in palingen- 



1 Dr. Pennetier, in a series of valuable observations, has proved the complete 

 absurdity of resurrections in general. In his special experiments upon the 

 Anguillulae he noticed that, so far from supporting complete desiccation, they 

 succumbed at a heat of 158 Fahr. M. Tinel, professor of physiology at the Med- 

 ical School of Rouen, disproved the revival of the tardigrades by showing that 

 these animals perish at a temperature below 177 Fahr., and consequently long 

 before they reached complete desiccation. Lastly, we ourselves, in a long series 

 of experiments, demonstrated that the resurrection of the rotifers does not take 

 place at all, and that they are only resuscitated when they were not dead. Des- 

 iccation carried to 194 Fahr. infallibly kills them. 



In consequence of our experiments, the Biological Society also undertook a se- 



