f n9 ) 
III. A Letter from Mr Anthony Van Lewen- 
hoek, F. i?. S, concerning his further cbfer- 
vatiofis on the animalcula in Semine Mafcu- 
lino. 
IObferved in the month oi Julj ih^t the young 
Rams made feveral attempts to couple with the 
Ewes, tho tfiey were but four months and a half old, 
and tho they are not ripe for Copulation till about | 
.months after. 
Obferving thefe motions of the young Rams, I 
thought with my felf, that the Worms, or little Crea- 
turs, which are found in the Male Seed might be living 
and moving. 
I order d a Butcher to fend me the Tefticles of the next 
young Ram which he fhould kill, which he according- 
ly did on the 24th of jf/z/^e^ I prefently open d the Fi^/i 
Defer eritia of the Tefticles, and took out the matter 
therein contained, and making my obfervations with 
my Microfcope, I perceived a great many of thofe 
Worms, but none jiving 5 which was not ftrange, 
when I found afterwards that the Ram had been kilTd 
near 30 hours before they brought me the Stones. 
Hereupon they kill'd another Ram the 27th of Julf^ 
in the evening, and fent me the Tefticles immediately^ 
whereof the Butcher having taken ofif the firft Skin, I 
prefently ftript off the fecond Membrane, that I might 
lay the Vafa Deferentia naked before my Eyes. Firft, I 
opend the Seminal Veffel that lies without upon the 
Tefticle, from whence I took the Seed out, which to 
-the naked eye appeard white, and looking upon it with 
my Glafs, I obfervy fuch an unfpeakable number of 
A a a a a a 2 Li>^ 
