A Letter from William Molyneux Efq. Secretary of 
the philofophical Society c/ Dublin, toaS. of 
the R. S. giving an account of the Connough^ 
Worm. 
» 
I Here fend you inclofed the figures of our Connough- 
worm, which is reported to be the only poyfooem 
Animal in our Kingdome; but whether it be really 
fo, or not, I cannot affert on my own experience. That 
from which the figures were taken, was fent alive to me, 
from the Country, about 40. miles from Dublin. The 
Gentleman that fent it, had kept it above fix weeks in 
a large Box on a GrafTy fod, now and then giving it a 
freft fod, and Ragwort to eat, befprinkling them with 
Dew. Before I could get the figures taken, the creature 
was fo unquiet, I was forced to ftifle it, as Hufwives do 
their Bees, with the fume of fulphur. When the Gen- 
tleman firft took it, it was much Imaller then when he 
ient it to me ; And had I been at the trouble of keeping 
it, it might have been yet much larger ; fome of them 
being as thick as a Mans thumb, and above three Inches 
long, and fome live fo long as to have fine hair thinly 
difperfed over their bodys. Immediately upon my receipt 
thereof, I writ to the fame Ingenious Gentleman that 
fent it me, propofing fome Queries to him concerning 
it, the chief whereof were, whether he had any certain 
Experiment to prove them Venemous?What Symptomes 
attended the Beafts afFecfted by them > And what cures 
were applyed to them ? To the firft, his anfwer was to 
thiseffed:, that he had confulted the experienced Peo- 
ple of the Country, 'vv:ho all agree in alTcrting the Ani- 
mal poyfonous, but he knew none that had made a fatif- 
fadory experiment thereof, none being able to fay they 
ever 
