C 1137 ) 
IL ^art of fome Letters from Mr Anthony van Lcw^ 
uenhoeck, F. (^. S. to the^^yal Society^ and the 
^ght Honourable the Lord Somers their Trejident^ 
containing feVeral Microfcopical Ohferl^ations and Ex^ 
periments concerning the Animalcula mSemineMaf- 
culino of Cocks and Spider s^Shortnefs of (Breathy 8cc^ ' 
Dclf, Decemb. 1701. 
I Take the Liberty of fending your Lordfhip fome lie- 
tie Figures and Obfefvations which I made partly the 
lafl: year, and partly this. - 
In my Letter of the 25th of Decemb. 1700. I told the 
Society that I had made fome Remarks on tht Semen Mafcu- 
limm ot a young Cock that was but half grown^and that 
I ftiould confider it farther beiore 1 gave you my TThoughts 
upon that fubjeft. 
I have often obferved, that young Cocks that are not 
arrived to half their Growth were wont to Teafe the 
young Hens to couple v/ith them, which thefe laft always 
refufed till they had laid Eggs, that is to fay^ till they 
were 5 or 4 months old. 
This made me conclude that when the young Cocks 
were thus ftimulated to Copulation, tho Ammalcula in their 
Seed were living, which upon view I always found to be 
fo, as did many others to whom I imparted the ftrange 
•"fight of infinite numbers of thefe Living Creatures 5 and 
the laft perfon that view 'd them, through my Microfcopes 
was ot opinion that he faw Millions of thofe httle Crea- 
tures, tho the whole Drop of Seed in which they lay was 
to the Peaked Eye no bigger than a great, but fingleSand. 
Oooocoo 
Laft 
