( 74^ ) 
they faur an unfpeakable number (that was their expreft 
fion J of living Creatures fwiraming and hovering like 
Clouds over one another. 
Afterwards I open'd the Seminal VelTfls within ttie 
Tefticle, where they lay interlaced^ and as it were 
in a bundle fhut up in a Membrane, and the number of 
Worms was not lefs in thofe Veffels than in the other. 
There is a certain Gentleman, who glories that he 
was the firft that ever difcover'd tiiefe Creatures, by the 
help of a Microfcope 3 but herein he is much miftakeo, 
for whereas he owns that his firfi Difeovery was in the 
year 1678. I did not only give the Koyal Society an 
account of the fame, by my Letter of Navemb. i6jj^ . 
but even 5 or 4 years before, at the requeft of Mr 01^ 
denlmrg, I had made an enquiry into thofe matters. 
Now I .arn fpeaking of this fame Author^ it may not 
be improper to fend y ou a Draught of the Worm in the 
Male Seed, jiift fo as he reprefents it 5 whereby you 
may judge that either his Microfcopes are not fine 
enough for thefe ufes, or that he himfelf is not fufE-- 
cientiy qualify 'd to make fuch exadl and minute obfer- 
vations. 
Fig. I. A B C reprefents the Worm as he drew it^ 
A B (hews the Body, and A C the Tail As for my 
part, I can't conceive that there is any fuch Creature 
in the v/orld 5 tor fuch a Creature is contrary to that 
Perfedion which we obferve in all Creatures 5 for al- 
lowing that thefe Woniis in the Male Seed are fhaped 
for Swimming, as we always obferve, fuch a fh ape as 
is now delineated is exceeding improper for that ufe, 
becaufe the very tip of the Tail atC is thicker than A, 
and that the further part of it is of an equal' Thick« - 
nefs, whereas we find in all Creatures, and elpecially 
in thofe that ufe the Water^ and are provided with 
Tails, that their Tails are always very (harp or point- 
ed at the end, to the intent that the Water after the - 
