144 EXAMINATION OF 



exiftence of eggs in viviparous animals. Thofe 

 phyficians who pretend that thefpermatic worm 

 is the foetus inclofed in a coat or covering, are 

 at leaft afcertained of the exiftence of fpermatic 

 worms; but thole who maintain that the foetus 

 pre-exifts in the egg, have no evidence of the 

 exiftence of the egg itfelf ; for the probability of 

 the non-exiftence of eggs in viviparous animals 

 amounts almoft to a certainty. 



Though the partizans of the ovular fyftem 

 agree not as to what ought to be regarded as the 

 real egg in the tefticles of females, they all allow, 

 however, that impregnation is accompliflied in 

 the tefticles or ovarium. But they nev^er con- 

 fider, that, if this were the cafe, moft foetufes 

 would be found in the abdomen inftead of the 

 uterus; for, as the fuperior extremity of the 

 Fallopian tube is unconnected with the ovarium, 

 the pretended eggs would often fall into the ab- 

 domen. Now, we know this to be at leaft a 

 very rare phaenomenon ; and it is probable that 

 it never happens but by means of fome violent 

 accident. j 



Thefe objedions and difficulties have not e- 

 fcaped the ingenious author of Venus Phyftquei. i 

 But, as his work is in the hands of the public, 

 and as it admits not of abridgement, we fhali 

 refer the reader to the book itfelf; and fhali 

 conclude with an account of a few particular 

 experiments, fome of which appeared to favour 

 and others to contradid the above fyftems. 



In 



