Eels in Pafte ‘viviparous. 249 
Queftion then will be, by what Means they 
get into the Pafte at all: for fuppofing it 
poffible they might have been in the Wheats 
.and have efcaped unhurt through the feveral 
Operations of grinding the Corn, Ming it, 
&c. it is fcarcely credible (in whatever Con¬ 
dition they might remain in the Flour) that 
they fhould be able to endure boiling, with¬ 
out which, and that too for a confiderable 
Time, no good Pafte can be made. 
For my own Part, I muft acknowledge, 
that before this Difcovery I was flrongly of 
Opinion that thefe Eels change into Flies ; 
as many Kinds of Worms found in Waters 
are well known to do, and in that State de¬ 
posit their Eggs in whatever Places they find 
a proper NeS: and Provifion for their future 
Offspring ; and this my Opinion I thought 
confirmed, by fometimes obferving very mi¬ 
nute Flies, of a Size agreeable to fuch a Sup- 
pofition, hovering about the Glaffes where 
Pafte with Eels was kept. But as bringing 
forth living young ones, in their Eel-like 
State, is a Fact beyond all Doubt, I muffc 
believe the Flies I faw about the Pafte are 
Infebts of fome other Kind, and have no 
Relation to thefe Eels; unlefs we could 
imagine them to have a two-fold Method of 
Generation ; that is, to be both viviparous, 
and oviparous, and to propagate both in the 
gel and in the Fly State $ which is too ex¬ 
traordinary 
