Of the Animalcules in Fluids. 69 
they were before, take Wing, and turn Crea¬ 
tures of the Air. 
We may thus account how Water where¬ 
in Pepper, Hay, Oats, Wheat, or other vege¬ 
table Subjlances are infufed, will foon become 
full of Life : for thole minute and invijible 
little ^lies, which are every where hovering 
in the Air* and feeking Places to depofit 
their Eggs, when a Fluid offers well ilored 
with proper Nourifhment for their future 
Offspring, may be fuppofed to refort to it in 
Swarms, and lay their Eggs there. Thefe 
Eggs being foon hatched, the Infant-Brood 
fwim about, and live happily in the Fluid ; 
till, grown to their ffated Size, they, in due 
Time, change their Forms, employ their 
Wings, and fly away. 
The Truth of this I have often experienc¬ 
ed ; for, after obferving fome Kinds of Ani¬ 
malcules in feveral Fluids to be grown to a 
certain Signers, on a fudden I have found 
them all gone away, and only a much fmal- 
ler, and confequently a younger R ace, of the 
fame Kinds remaining; which alfo, when 
grown to a like Size, have foon after in the 
fame Manner been gone too. Befides, if 
the Infufion be covered, though with a Muf¬ 
fin or fme Lawn, I have conftantly found 
that few Animalcules will be produced there¬ 
in ; but upon taking off the Cover, in a few 
Days it will be full of Life : which feems to 
prove, that the Eggs whence thefe Animal- 
F 4 cules 
