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Show 8 Additional Notes. The hydra of Linnreus, which dwells in th~ rivers of Europe m:der aquatic plants, has been observed by the cunous of the present time, to rev~e after it has been dried, to be restored after being mutilated, to multiply by being divided, to be propagated from small portions, to live after being inverted; all which would be best explained by the doctriue of spontaneous reproduction from organic particles not yet completely decomposed. To this hould be added, that these microscopic animals are found in all solutions of vegetable or animal matter in water; a black pepper steeped in water, hay suffered to become putrid in water, and the water of dunghills, afford animalcules in astonishiug numbers. See l\Ir. Ellis's curious account of Animalcules produced from an infusion of J?otatoes and Hempseed; Philos. Transact. Vol. LIX. from all which it would appear, that organic particles of dead vegetables and animals during their usual chemical changes into putridity or acidity, do not lose all their organization or vitali.ty, but retain so much of it as to unite with the parts of living animals in the process of nutri tion, .or unite and produce new complicate animals by secretion as in generation, or produce very simple microscopic animals or microscopic vegetables, by their new combinations in warmth and moisture. And finally, that these microscopic organic bodies are multiplied and enlarged by solitary reproduction without sexual intercourse till they acquire greater perfection or new properties. Le\Vcnhoek observed in rain-water which had stood a few days, the smallest scarcely ·visible microscopic animalcules, and in a few more days he observed others eight times as large; English Encyclop. Art. Animalcule. Conclusion. There is therefore no absurdity in believin()' that the most simrJle • b ammals and .vegetables may be produced by the congress of the parts Qf decot~posing organic matter, without what can properly be termed ~eneratwn, as th~ ~en us did not .previously exist; which accounts or the endless vanet1es, as well as for the immense numbers of microscopic animals. Spontaneous Vitality oj'JJficroscopic Animals. 9 The g1~ecn vegetable matter of Dr. Priestley, which is universally produced m stagnant water, and the mucor, or mouldiness, which is se.en on the surface of a1l putrid vegetable and animal matter, ave p1 obab]y ~0 parents, but a spontaneous origin from the conoTeSS of the decomposing organic particles, and afterwards propacrate ~hemsclves. So1~1c ot:1er fungi, as t.hose growing in ~lose wine-vaults, or other wh1ch anse from dccaymO' trees or rotte11 t 1'n1ber 11 . . . . 1 b ~ , , 1ay per 1aps e owmg to a suml~r sp?ntancous production, and not previously exist as perfect orgamc bemgs in the juices of the wood, as some have s~tpposed. In the same manner it would seem, that the common escu-len. t mushr.o om is produced from. borsc d Lmoo· at a11y t·rr n e anc1 · 111 any place, ~s IS the common pract1re of many gardiners; Kennedy G ardcnmg. 011 Appendi.t·. TuE knowledge of microscopic animals is still in its infancy: those already known are arranged by l\1r. l\1ullcr into the followiuo· classes· but it is probable, that many tnore classes, as well as inn~unerabl~ individuals, may be discovered by improvements of the microscope, as Mr. Herschell has discovered so many thousand stars, which were before invisible, by improvements of the telescope. 1\fr. l\1u1Ier's classes consist of I. Suclt as ltave no Ea:te1·nal Organs. 1. l\Jonas: Punctiformi . A mere point. !2. Proteus: 1\!Iutabilis. Mutable. 3. Vol vox: Sph::ericum. Spherical. 4. Enchelis: Cylindracea. Cylindrical. .5. Vi brio: Elongatum. Lon g. ~' l\tfem branaceous. 6. Cyclidium: Ovale. Oval 7. Paramecium: Oblongum. Oblong. 8. Kolpoda: Sinuatum. Sinuous. 9. Gonium: Angulatum. With angles. 10. Bursaria. Ho11ow like a purse, c |