90 SURPRISING SIGHT. 



a couple of grains in water for the space of 

 thirty-six hours ; then beheving them suffi- 

 ciently moistened, I cut one open, and applying 

 some of the fibrous substance to the micro- 

 scope in a drop of water, it separated imme- 

 diately, and presented to my view multitudes 

 of the anguillae without the least motion or 

 sign of life. But experience having taught 

 me, by former trials, that they might notwith- 

 standing possibly revive, I left them for about 

 four hours, and then examining them again, 

 found much the greatest number moving their 

 extremities pretty briskly ; and in an hour or 

 two after, they appeared as lively as these crea- 

 tures usually are. Mr. Folkes and some other 

 friends were witnesses of this experiment." 



There can be scarcely found a more interest- 

 ing microscopical object than these vibriones. 

 Mr. Baker's account of the phenomena they 

 exhibit is as accurate as possible. Curious as 

 the whole matter is, and well as it has been 

 described by him -as witnessed almost a cen- 

 tury ago, modern microscopists have been as 

 much surprised as he was by these sights, 

 which any person possessing a tolerable instru- 

 ment may readily enjo}''. 



The vibriones did not, however, escape the 



