356 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
Spalanzani lias tried several experiments upon the earth- 
worm, many of which succeeded according to his expecta- 
tion ; every earth-worm, however, did not retain the vivacious 
principle with the same obstinacy ; some, when cut in two, 
were entirely destroyed ; others survived only in the nobler 
part ; and, while the head was living, the tail entirely pe- 
rished, and a new one was seen to burgeon from the extremity. 
But, what was most surprising of all, in some, particularly in 
the small red-headed earth-worm, both extremities survived 
the operation; the head produced a tail with the anus, the 
intestines, the annular muscle, and the prickly beards ; the 
tail part, on the other hand, was seen to shoot forth the 
nobler organs, and in less than the space of three months 
sent forth'a head, and a heart, with all the apparatus and 
instruments of generation. This part, as may be easily 
supposed, was produced much more slowly than the former, 
a new head taking above three or four months for its com- 
pletion, a new tail being shot forth in less than as many 
weeks. Thus two animals by dissection were made out of 
one, each with their separate appetites, each endued with 
life and motion, and seemingly as perfect as that single 
animal whence they derived their origin. 
What was performed upon the earth-worm, was found to 
obtain also in many other of the vermicular species. 
The sea-worm , the white water-worm, and many of those lit- 
tle worms with feelers, found at the bottom of dirty ditches ; 
in all these the nobler organs are of such little use, that if 
taken away, the atiimal does not seem to feel the want of 
them ; it lives in all its parts, and in every part; and, by a 
strange paradox in nature, the most useless and contempti- 
ble life is, of all others, the most difficult to destroy. 
The next genus of zoophytes is that of the Star-fish, a 
numerous tribe, shapeless and deformed, assuming at differ- 
ent times different appearances. The same animal that now 
appears round like a ball, shortly after flattens as thin as a 
plate. Ail of this kind are formed of a semi-transparent gela- 
tinous substance, covered with a thin membrane, and, to an 
inattentive spectator, often appears like a lump of inanimated 
jelly, floating at random upon the surface of the sea, or 
thrown by chance on shore at the departure of the tide. But, 
upon a more minute inspection, they will be found possessed 
of life and motion; they will be found to shoot forth their 
arms in every direction, in order to seize upon such insects as 
are near, and to devour them with great rapacity. Worms, the 
spawn of fish, and even muscles themselves, with their hard 
