VOL. VIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. CQ 



Extracts of Two Letters from Dr. Swammerdam, concerning some Animals, that 

 having Lungs are yet found to be without the Arterious Vein, (Pulmonary Ar • 

 tery)y together with some other curious Particulars. Dated Amsterdam, Jan, 

 24, 1673. Translated from the Latin. N° 94, p. 6040. 



In my late dissections I have met with animals, which, although they are 

 provided with lungs, are nevertheless destitute of the vena arteriosa (pulmonary 

 artery) ; so that the blood is sent directly from the heart to every part of the 

 body, without previously undergoing a circulation through the lungs. * 



I have been much astonished to find, that the genital organs in the scarabaeus 

 nasicornis, exactly resemble those of man, in respect to the vasa testicularia ; 

 which consist of a single tube of great length, formed into innumerable convo- 

 lutions; with this difference however from the human subject, that the said 

 tube is closed at its beginning or apex, (principio seu apice caeco). Thus 

 throughout every part of the creation, even in the meanest of animated beings, 

 the marks of Divine Wisdom, and of the most exquisite workmanship are ap- 

 parent. 



[Thus far Mr. Swammerdam in his 1st letter; whereupon being desired 

 to mention those animals that are destitute of the vena arteriosa, (pulmonary 

 artery), he very obligingly sent in a 2d letter, dated Amsterdam, March \A, 

 1673, the following observations:] 



As I perceive that my communications are not unacceptable to the Royal 



Society, I readily comply with their request ; and the more so, as I wish to give 

 others an opportunity of investigating a subject so interesting, that thus the 

 hidden treasures of Nature may be the sooner brought to light. 



No person, I imagine, after what has been published by Malpighi and Need- 

 ham on this subject, will deny that frogs have lungs, and that they respire. Yet 

 have they no vena arteriosa: hence their blood is not circulated through the 

 lungs, but is sent directly from the simple sinus of their heart to every part of 

 the body, without having any thing to do with the lungs. This I conceive to 

 be a good argument among others, for restoring, (as I mean to do at some future 

 time), the office of sanguification to the liver. -(- 



But there is evidently an artery (analogous to the bronchial or rather the pul- 

 monary artery), in the investing membrane of the lungs in frogs. This artery is 



* It is true, (as Haller obsen^es), that frogs have no artery going directly from the heart to the 

 lungs; but they have evidently pulmonary arteries which arise out of the aorta. 



f As these animals have a pulmonary artery, which arises out of the aorta, this argument does not 

 hold. 



