Eels in blighted Wheat . 253 
the Royal Society, (with an Account of his 
then new Difcovery :) which Parcel the 
Prefident was pleafed to give me, defiring 
I would examine it carefully. In order fo 
to do, I cut open fome of the Grains that 
were become dry, took out the fibrous Mat¬ 
ter, and applied Water to it on a Slip of 
Glafs but could difcern no other Motion 
than a Separation of the Fibres or Threads; 
which Separation I imputed wholly to an 
Elafticity in the Fibres ; and perceiving no 
Token of Life, after watching them with 
due Care, and repeating the Experiment 
till I was weary, an Account thereof was 
written to Mr. Needham 5 who having by 
Trials of his own found out the Caufe of 
this bad Succefs, advifed me to fieep the 
Grains before I fhould attempt to open them; 
on doing which I was very foon convinced 
of his Veracity, and entertained with the 
pleafing Sight of this wonderful Phenome¬ 
non. Since then I have made Experiments 
at different Times with Grains of the fame 
Parcel, without being difappointed fo much 
as once, and particularly on the fourth Day 
of July 1747* finding fome of the fame Par¬ 
cel left, I foaked a Couple of Grains in Water 
for the Space of thirty-fix Hours, when be¬ 
lieving them fufliciently moiftened, I cut 
one open, and applying fome of the fibrous 
Subftance to the Microfcope in a Drop of 
Water, it feparated immediately, and pre¬ 
fen ted 
9 
