towards all the Males which they do keep in their Houses where they do frequently nourish these Chat-pards especially in Barbary there being some appearance that the Spermatick Vessels might have been consumed and effaced by age even as the Anastomoses of the Heart are in Animals of a short time after their Birth when these parts wanting Action and Use do wax dry and utterly Abolish But the truth is that we found not any Cicatrice in the Skin of the Belly and considering that the Umbilical Vessels do still remain altho contracted when they do no more execute the Functions for which they were employed before the Birth and that the Spermatick Vessels serving for other uses than Generation have no reason to dry up for want of Imployment when that for which they were principally designed comes to cease seeing that it is ordinarily seen that as they pass they shoot forth several branches for the nourishment of the adjoyning parts we remain in our former Opinion that this defect of such important Organs must proceed from some other part and that the Sterility which is common to some Animals which have been ingendred by the mixture of two different Species must have a particular cause in our Subject For that which renders Mules Barren is not the defect of any of the Organs which are necessary to Generation seeing that the difference which may be found in the Conformation of the Matrix of Mares and that of She-Asses cannot as some pretend be the occasion of Sterility the Mare in which something is wanting that is found in the She-Asse being not deprived of any of the parts which are absolutely necessary to Generation seeing that she ingenders and the difference of the Organs which is between the Species of Horses and that of Asses hinder's not the Generation of Mules which do proceed from the mixture of these two Species Therefore Aristotle according to Empedocles attributes this defect only to the Temper of these Animals whose parts have contracted a hardness which renders them incapable of contributing to a new mixture which this Philosopher explains by the comparison of Copper and Tin which being separately very Ductile and Malleable to be imployed in different and several works are no more in a condition of being weilded and receiving a new form by reason of a brittle hardness and sharpness which the Mass composed of these two Metals acquires when they are melted together So that if it be true that the Lupi Cervarii or Ounces which are thought to be engendred of the Wolf and Panther as Mastives of the Leopard and Bitch and the greatest part of the other Animals which are born by the mixture of two Species cease not to be fertile it must be thought that the Conformation of our Chat-pard was particular and accidental to it and that the defect of the Parts which are wanting and which made it incapable of Generation proceeded not from this mixture of Species which by changing the Conformation of the Parts could not corrupt it to the degree of rendring it useless to the Functions and which is still less capable of making a Mutilation but which may more easily cause a vice in the Temper which is a consequence very natural from the mixture and in fine it is probable that if the Mule be the only Animal which the confusion of Species makes Barren it must needs be that there is something particular in those which have ingendred it which is not found in the others 'T is that which Aristotle has observed in the Horse and Asse who hath both much less power for Generation than all other Animals seeing that in this Genus which consists of those which are short-liv'd and which ought consequently to be more readily engendred the Females do carry their Conception a great deal longer and have much more difficulty to give it its last perfection than others by reason as this Philosopher says of the hardness of their Uterus which is like an Earth which Drought and Aridity have made sterile For this being so it is found that the Mule is Barren not only by the general reason of the repugnance which is always found in the mixture of different Species but likewise by the particular defect which was in both of the Species which are assembled for Generation and which have not surmounted that repugnancy so powerfully as Leopards Dogs and Foxes which are Animals fertile enough to transmit to their Posterity the powerful dispositions which they have for Generation notwithstanding the contrariâ—…ty which the mixture of different Species may cause The Penis was extraordinary small containing from the swelling of the Ischium which is its Origine to the end but an Inch and half and but a Line and half in Diameter There was found no Bone. The Diaphragme was very fleshy and its nervous part very small The Pericardium in which there was no water was exceeding close to the Heart which happened perhaps by the swelling of this part which after the manner of all things that do congeal was puffed up For this Dissection was made the eleventh day of Ianuary 1670. at which time was felt a greater cold than ever was known The Ventricles of the Heart were filled with great plenty of congealed and hardened blood which was not in the Veins perhaps by reason of its little quantity which easily thaws in the parts which must necessarily be much handled in the Dissection and Preparation thereof The Heart was rounder and less pointed than in Cats and fierce Beasts by reason as it is probable that the extraordinary distention and enlarging of the Ventricles had made the point to shrink towards the Basis. The Lungs had eight Lobes four on the right side three on the left and the eighth in the middle in the cavity of the Mediastinum joyning the Diaphragme The Os Frontis had two very large Sinus's which were square and long adjoyning to each other There were two other Sinus's in the Os Occipitis they were of a triangular form and distant from each other being of the right and left side of the Cerebellum The Bone which separated these two Brains had two points The Brain was divided in two by the Falx which was very large and which did enter very deep therein The Anfractuosities were extended in length from the Cerebellum to the fore-part At the place where the Glandula Pinealis usually is there was found only a little point about the bigness of a pins point which was taken for this Gland The Orbite of the Eye was whole and bonie all round the Bones of the Temples and that of the Iaw being joyned but the internal and upper part was open insomuch that the Ball of the Eye touched the Muscles of the Temples The Ball of the Eye contained eleven Lines in Diameter through the middle the Cornea had nine There was an Internal Eye-lid which was seated in the great Canthus of the Eye and which advanced towards the
hardly credible of the Calves of the Stature of ours and can agree only with those which are taken near England which according to Gesner are as great as the Bears or rather with those whereof Gomara Oviedo Pedro Ciesa and the last relations of the Ant-Isles do speak which are of a size so Prodigious that there are found some twenty foot long and seven thick But Names are most frequently given to Fish by reason of some resemblances that they have as it is pretended to certain things whether that Similitude be taken from their shape or dispositions Thus the Sea-Sheep has this Appellation because it is white and has crooked Horns like that of the Land and the Sea-Calf is by some called a Wolf by reason that it lives on Rapine Nevertheless by this reason it should be called a Sheep if compared to the Sea-Sheep and the Sea-Sheep ought on the contrary to be called a Wolf because that according to Aelian the Sea-Sheep hunts the Sea-Calves and devours them The Tongue was very like to that of a Calf being large flat and smooth It was forked and cut in two at the end as Aristotle has remarqued but not double round and small as in Serpents and Lizards as Pliny describes it The Larynx had a particular formation the Epiglottis being proportionably larger than in other Animals it went half an inch in length beyond the Glottis to cover it It is probable that this is done more exactly to close the entrance of the Aspera Arteria when this Animal eats his Prey at the bottom of the Sea and to hinder the water from running into its Lungs The Ventricle was in form of an Intestine which was contracted towards its two Orifices Severinus describes it round like an Ostrich's Egg. The interiour Membrane was folded and made several wrinckles Severinus describes it without wrinckles These wrinckles from the Superiour Orifice to the middle of the Ventricle were waved and from thence unto the Pylorus they were strait This seems to have some resemblance with the Ventricles of Animals which chew the Cud in which the wrinckles of the lower Ventricle are strait and according to the length of the Ventricle whereas in the upper they are transversal and oblique In the inside of the Ventricle there was found a round bottom of the Sea-herb called by the Sea-men Wreck which is a kind of Fucus This clue or bottom was of the bigness and shape of a Nut. It closed the upper Orifice of the Ventricle insomuch that it seemed that this round lump had been push'd into this Orifice by the effort of an extraordinary compression and by the contraction of the Ventricle The Liver had six Lobes two great ones underneath and behind and four small ones at the top and before The Gall-bladder was between the great right Lobe behind and the first of the small ones which are before of the same side Belonius reports according to Aristotle that the Sea-Calf has no Gall. Pliny would have it in the Breast which agrees not with what he relates that this Animal vomits up its Gall when pursued by the Fisher-men by reason of the knowledge he has that he is taken only for his Gall which is profitable for the Cure of several Diseases for it would be impossible for him to vomit up this Gall which is in his Breast it being incredible that he can understand the intentions of the Fishermen unless that this Sagacity be peculiar to it and other Amphibia such as are the Castor Serpents and Frogs which this same Author reports to take care to get rid of the things for which they are sought after so that the Castor tears off the Pouches wherein is contained the Medicinal Liquor of the Castoreum the Serpents do swallow the precious Skin which they do cast at the Spring the Frogs do daily vomit up certain Salutiferous Liquors which are ingendred in their Bodies for fear of being killed for this Liquor The Kidneys resembled not those of the Otter as Rondeletius says because the Kidneys of the Otter are composed of several small separate ones which have each their Emulgent Vessels and particular Ureters as is represented in the Figure of the Kidneys of the Bear. The Kidneys of our Subject were more like to the Kidneys of the Land-Calf being cleft at top only in their Surface by chops which did not sink very deep but these chops were much more numerous than in the Land-Calf and they made this Kidney to seem composed of several Glands joyned together These Kidneys did likewise differ from those of the Land-Calf in that besides the great Pelvis which is in the gibbous part of that Kidney there were several other small ones scattered in several places in the Substance of the Kidney insomuch that it seemed that every of these small Pelves appertained to each of the little particular Kidneys of which the great one was composed and that the Parenchyma of every of these particular Kidneys made but one single Mass. The Membrana Adiposa of the Kidney was all interspersed with very visible Vessels which made Rondeletius to say that the Emulgents enter not into the Cavity of the Kidney in the Sea-Calf as in other Animals but that they are distributed over the whole Body of the Kidney The greatest part of these Vessels in the left Kidney were the Branches or rather the Roots of the Spermatick Vein which by reuniting did form three great Branches which the Trunck of the Spermatick Vein that proceeds from the Emulgent did by the way receive This left Kidney was accompanied with a Succenturiatus which was about the bigness of a Filbert and immediately adhering to the Trunck of the Vena Cava The Lungs had but one Lobe on each side which was only a little transversly cut through the middle The Heart was round and flat It s Ventricles appeared very large and its Auricles very small The Trunck of the Aorta proceeded from the Heart two inches in length before it returned downwards Underneath the great Aperture through which the Trunck of the Vena Cava conveyed the blood into the right Ventricle of the Heart there was another which penetrated into the Arteria Venosa and from thence into the left Ventricle and afterwards into the Aorta This hole which is called the Foramen Ovale in the Foetus makes the Anastomosis by the means of which the blood goes from the Cava into the Aorta without passing through the Lungs and it is apparently for the same use that this passage is found in the Sea-Calf and Foetus by reason of the necessity which each have of living without respiration viz. the Foetus whilst in the Womb of its Mother and the Sea-Calf whilst under water Which demonstrates that Respiration is necessary for the Circulation and that the Blood which the Lungs have received from one of the Ventricles of the Heart by being dilated is afterwards thrust into the other Ventricle by the compression of
the Heart And it is probable that the facility which the Sea-Calf has of Diving a long time under water must rather be attributed to this particular formation of the Vessels of the Heart and Lungs than to the smallness of the Lungs which is the reason that Pliny alledges Between these two holes which were in the Trunck of the Vena Cava there was a Membranous separation made by a fold of the interiour Coat of the Vein In the Ventricles of the Heart and in the Lungs there was found great store of Blood. Pliny reports that these parts in the Sea-Calf do contain less blood than in other Animals This blood being kept congealed very firmly Aristotle and Pliny do affirm that the Bones of the Sea-Calf are Cartilaginous we found that they were real Bones very hard especially those of the Cranium The Dura Mater was fastned to the Skull and redoubled to make the Falx There was a bone between the Cerebrum and Cerebellum like as in Dogs and other Animals which do live by Rapine and which do eat Flesh and not Grass like the Calf This Bone was flat and pointed and not round and massie so as that which is found in the Head of the Lamantin which is a kind of Sea-Calf of the West-Indies and which is held to be a Bone which has a peculiar Vertue for dissolving the Stone of the Kidneys and Bladder The Sinuosities and Cavities of the Brain were as in the Calf but there was more of the Cerebellum proportionably than there is in the head of a Calf which is unusual in Fishes which have very little Cerebellum The Glandula Pinealis was two lines in length and little less in breadth Natural-lists have observed that this Animal participates nothing of the Stupidity of Fishes but that it equalls the most subtill Sagacity of Terrestrial Animals Pliny testifies that there were shewn some at Rome which answered when they were called and which with voice and gesture saluted the People in the Theatres Gomara makes mention of a Manati or Sea-Calf of the Indies of a prodigious size which being tamed did come when it was called by its name and carried ten men upon its Back in a Lake where an Indian Prince kept it Aldrovandus reports that he saw one which did Sing for the Christian Princes and not for the Turks The Crystalline was almost Sphaerical after the usual manner of Fishes and the more convex part was before contrary to what is usual The whole Choroides was besmeared with a white and very opake substance In the Retina there were three branches of blood-vessels which did enter into the Eye with the Optick Nerve and were spread over the whole Membrane This Optick Nerve did enter into the middle of the Eye and its entrance was directly opposite to the Crystalline These two Remarks are favourable to the Opinion of those which do hold that the reception of the visual Species is made on the surface of the Retina and not the Choroides because that the Vessels which being spread into the Retina are laid upon the Choroides must by reason of their Opacity oppose the passage of the visual Species and hinder them from going to the Choroides which these Vessels do not in regard of the Retina because that it covers them with its surface which terminates and locks up the Vitreous Humour The Situation of the Optick Nerve which was found in the Axis of the Eye and which by consequence did directly receive the visual Species seems to demonstrate that it is not the Choroides which receives the Species seeing that there is no Choroides at the principal place where the Species do fall but that it is the Retina which is extended over the Optick Nerve as well as on all the other places on which the Species may fall The left Eye was contracted and a great deal less than the right and was found to have been hurt the Humours being half suppurated In the Eyes of this Subject there was not found the thousand Colours which Natualists report to be there observable The Explication of the Figure of the Barbary Cow. THE lower Figure is to discover the extraordinary length of the Head the situation of the Eyes which are very high the winding of the Horns the length of the Neck the Bunch which the Shoulders do form on the Back that which is at the Sternum as in the Camel the smallness of the Tail and other particularities which do render the Figure of the Animal different from the ordinary Cow. In the Upper Figure A Is the great Ventricle B B B. The three other Ventricles C C. The Origine of the Epiploon D D. The Pancreas E. A part of the Aspera Arteria in its natural bigness â—… â—…â—… The Membranous part of the Aspera Arteria on which the Oesophagus lies and which is towards the Vertebrae of the Neck e e e e. The Extremities of the half Rings of the Aspera Arteria flatted and inlarged making as it were the Wings which do cover the Extremitys of the other half Rings which are underneath and are represented by f f f. g g. The hollow and Chanellated part of the half Rings F F. The Liver G. The Gall-Bladder Γ. The Trunck of the Vena Porta fastned to the Liver H. Half of the Trunck of the Vena Porta loosed from the Liver to discover its interiour surface I I. The holes of the branches of the Vena Porta which do enter into the Substance of the Liver with the Valves which do half shut them K. The Head seen in another Aspect than that of the lower Figure to represent the particular winding of the Horns L L L L L. The five small Lobes of the Lungs M M. The two great Lobes n. The Ligament which fastens the two great Lobes to one another THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF A BARBARY COW THis Animal was about the size of a Cow. Its Hair was of a Fox-red paler towards the point than the root It was a little shorter than it commonly is in Cows and almost of the same bigness towards the point as the root which is contrary to the Hair of Animals which is most frequently bigger towards the root than towards the other end Yet we have before remarqued an irregularity opposite to this in the Hair of an Elk which was a great deal smaller towards the root than towards the middle The disposition of the Body Legs and Neck made it better to resemble a Stag than a Cow of which it had only the Hornes which were in a great many things different from those of Cows They were each of them a foot long and took their rise very near one another by reason the Head was in this part exceeding narrow They were very thick bent backward black wreathed like a Screw and worn before and at top so that the raised parts which formed the Screw were there wholly effaced The Tail was larger at its beginning than towards its end
Cartilages and produced only Membranous Channels very large and unequal containing even an Inch and half in some places and half an Inch only in others The Membrane that formed these Channels was transparent and thinn but solid and fortified with Ligaments linck'd together after the manner of a Nett composed of several Mashes like to those that are seen in the second Ventricle of Animals that ruminate Each of these Mashes was the border and entrance of a little Pouch which opened into a second and that somtimes into a third The Branches of the Veins and Arteries of the Lungs did run along the Ligaments of which they did accompany all the Divisions equally distributing the Blood into the whole extent of the Lungs The Authors that have thought that the Tortoise has no Blood in the Lungs have grounded this opinion on the whiteness and transparency of the Membranes whereof they are composed which do make it to appear altogether Membranous when it is swelled whereas that of other Animals appears fleshy But the truth is that the only difference is that of more and less The Lungs of Man after the same manner as that of other Animals being composed of nothing else but small Vesicles heapt one against the other amongst which the Sanguinary Vessels are interlaced in so great a number that they do form an appearance of flesh like little Lobes fastned to the Channels of the Bronchi and 't is of these little Lobes that the great Lobes of the Lungs are composed Yet this difference of more and less fill'd with Blood has seemed to us to pass for essential and sufficient to establish a Species of Lungs which is one of three to which we reduce the Lungs of the Animals that we have dissected For we have found Lungs which did appear absolutly fleshy others absolutly Membranous and others partly fleshy and partly Membranous The Lungs of all four footed Terrestrial Animals which lay no Eggs and some of the Amphibious as the Sea-Calf are of the first Species And these Lungs do absolutely appear fleshy because that the Blood is equally dispersed thro' all their Substance into which it Circulates entirely making all the Blood to pass thro' the Lungs by its Vessels from one Ventricle of the Heart to the other The Lungs of Tortoises Serpents Frogs Salamanders Camelions c. are of the second Species And they appear absolutely membranous having but very little Blood dispersed into their Substance viz. only that which is necessary for their particular Nourishment So that there is no other Circulation made in its Vessels but of this Nourishment The Lungs of Birds are of the third Species and they do appear partly fleshy and partly Membranous by reason that the part which is fastned to the Ribbs is filled with a great quantity of Vessels by which the Circulation is entirely made as in Terrestrial Animals and the other part which is divided into eight and somtimes into ten great Bladders has no Vessels and the Circulation therein is only for its peculiar Nourishment These three Species of the Lungs may be reduced to two if their differences be taken from the use which the Lungs have in relation to the entire Circulation of the Blood And in this case the Lungs of Tortoises and other Amphibious Animals of that kind will make a particular Species their Lungs being useless for the entire Circulation And the Lungs of Birds and that of Terrestrial Animals will make another Species which will be common to those whose Lungs appear absolutely fleshy and those that appear only in one part For the establishing these two Species there may be likewise added another difference taken from the Motion of the Lungs which in Terrestrial Animals even as in Birds is continual regular and periodical And in the others as in the Tortoise Camelion c. it is interrupted and so seldom and unequal that the Camelion is somtimes half a day without ones being able to discern in him any Motion for the Respiration And somtimes it is perceived to swell on a sudden and to remain a quarter of an hour in this condition The Tortoise does probably use the same manner We have a long time observed several living and entire and we have taken notice that indeed they somtimes cast forth a cold Breath thro the Nostrils but it is by intervals and without order In those which were opened alive we saw that the Lungs remained continually swelled by the exact compression of the Glottis and that it shrunk entirely and suddenly when entrance was given to the Air by cutting the Aspera Arteria When the Breast of a living Dog is opened by taking away the Sternum with the Cartilaginous Appendices of the Ribbs the Lungs are observed suddenly to sink and afterwards the Circulation of the Blood and Motion of the Heart to cease in a little time after that the right Ventricle of the Heart and its Auricle with the Vena Cava are swelled as if they were ready to burst So that to prevent the Animals Death the end of a pair of Bellows is put into the Aspera Arteria and pushing in the Air to make the Lungs swell and afterwards withdrawing them to make them sink they are Artificially made to have the Motion that they Naturally use and it is observed that the Ventricle and right Auricle of the Heart with the Vena Cava do unswell and the Heart resumes its ordinary Motion again This hapnes not to the Tortoise in which one has laid open the Lungs for whether they continue swelled or whether they do shrink the Circulation and Motion of the Heart do continue so well in their Natural manner that it was experimented that a Tortoise has lived above four days in this Condition We have also made another Experiment to know more distinctly the Necessity of the Motion of the Lungs for the entire Circulation of the Blood in Animals whose Lungs are absolutely Fleshy and which are not Amphibious An Injection being made by the right Ventricle of the Heart into the Artery of the Lungs of a dead Dog it happens that if one continues to make the Lungs rise and sink by the means of Bellows put into the Aspera Arteria the Liquor which is pushed into the Lungs does easily pass and go thro' the Vein into the left Ventricle And that when one ceases to blow it passes not but with a great deal of difficulty After having veiwed the different Structure of the Ventricles and Vessels of the Heart of the Dog and Tortoise it is easy to give some probable Reasons of the Phaenomena of these Experiments for it may be said that the Lungs of the Dog being sunk after Expiration the Vessels are compressed after such a manner that the Blood cannot pass and that it is necessary that these Vessels are dilated by Inspiration for the receiving the Blood of the right Ventricle of the Heart and that they be afterwards compressed in the Expiration to press it
smallness of this Subject which made it to dry speedily hindred us from making our Observations so particularly as it deserves The last Observation which we made but which is not the least considerable was upon its Tongue the make and use of which is very extraordinary We found that it was composed of a White Flesh very solid ten Lines long three broad round and a little flattish towards the end It was hollow and open at the end like a Sack somewhat like the end of an Elephants Proâ—…oscis This Tongue was fastened to the Os Hyoides by the means of a sort of Trunk like a Gut six Inches long and a Line broad having a Membrane without and a Nervous Substance within The Membrane was covered with Spots all along as if it had been imbued on the inside with a Blackish extravassated Blood unequally collected in several Places The Nervous Substance in the middle was Solid and Compact although very Soft and was not easily divided into Strings like the Nerves which proceed from the Spinal Marrow This Trunk served to cast out the Tongue which was fastened to it by extending it and to draw it back by Contracting it self and it was our Opinion that when it shortened it self it must be that the Membrane which covered it had a Stylus of a Cartilagineous Substance very fine and smooth inserted into it to the end of which the Trunck was fastened and on which its Membrane was plaited like a Silk-Stocking on the Leg For we could not certainly understand how this Tongue could otherwise be retracted This Stylus which was an Inch long took its Original from the middle of the basis of Os Hyoides as it is found in the Tongue of several Birds The Tongue was endowed with store of apparent Vessels by reason of the Blood which was there in great abundance as in all the rest of the Body Which made us wonder why Aristotle said that the Camelion has no Blood but about the Heart and Eyes and that the generality of the Moderns do place it among those Animals that have little Blood. It is probable that it was not the small Esteem which the Antients made of the particularities of this Tongue which hindered them from speaking thereof and that if they had seen to what purpose the Camelion uses it they could not think that it liv'd by the Air alone For this Tongue serves it for the catching of the Animals whereon it lives and it is a very surprising thing to us to see the Swiftness wherewith it darts this Tongue at a Fly and with which it draws it back again into its Mouth with the Prey which it is said that it never fayls to catch by the means of a Natural Glue which its Tongue incessantly Sweats forth as we have observed and which gathers together and thickens in its Cavitie which penetrates not into the Trunk to which this Tongue is fastened So that to swallow what it has glued at the end of its Tongue it is necessary that there be a kind of Peristaltick Action performed by the Tongue whose parts successively joyned and pressed against the Palate do there cause to run into the Throat whatever it has to Swallow The abundance of wrinkles which we saw run a cross on the extremitie of this Tongue made us to be of Opinion that it must be so done Nevertheless Marmol who say's that he has seen a great many live Camelions with a design to explain himself upon this particular use of their Tongue Asserts that it serves them not to catch Insects and that whatever he has observed of this Animal could not make him to alter his Opinion that its only Nourishment is the Air and the Beams of the Sun. Yet we have found its Ventricle and Intestines filled with Flys and Wormes having seen it swallow them after the manner aforesaid We have likewise observed that the Excrements that it voided almost every day were mixed with store of Yellow and Greenish Choler and such as they are in Animals which do live in something else besides Air Which Nidermayer Physitian to the Landgrave of Hessen who in the Year 1619. brought a live Camelion from Malta into Germany hath already observed Our's did many times void Stones about the bigness of a Pea which it had not swallowed but which were ingendred in its Intestines as we discovered after a Curious Examination For it was found that these Stones were so light that being put into distilled Vinegar they rose from the bottom of the Vessel when stirred that they did there Dissolve and that one of them which cleft contained in its middle the head of a Fly about which the Stony matter was amassed This made us to think that the Lienteria which Panarâ—…lus Reports to be perpetual in the Camelion was not the Distemper of our's seeing that retaining the Useful things it rejected those only which were Superfluous and not fit to be kept It is true indeed that it voided Flyes which appeared almost as intire as it had taken them but it is known that this happens to Serpents which do Evacuate Animals whole as they have swallowed them And every body know's that the manner of drawing the Nutritive Juice from the Food is different in different Creatures that some must Dissolve what they Eat and therefore they do first Chew it and afterwards reduce it into Liquor in their Stomach that others who Swallow without Chewing have a Heat and Spirits powerful enough to Extract the Juice they have need of without breaking that which contains it even as it is seen that the Juice of the Grapes is drawn as well from the Rape where the Stones remaine whole as from a Vat wherein they are bruised By these Observations we thought there was not less reason to doubt of the Truth of the Proposition which the Ancients had started touching the Aerial Nourishment of the Camelion than we have had to reject that which they had establish't touching the changeing of Colour which they have said happens to it by the touching of the different things which it approaches after having observed that except the White which our Camelion took in a Linnen Cloath all the other Colours wherewith it was covered proceeded not from the things which it touched And it is rational to think that the White which it received in a cold Linnen Cloath where it was kept some time as under a Cloak was an effect of the Cold which generally made it grow Pale because that very day was the coldest of all those whereon we observed it And to the end that Naturalists and those which Study Morality may not be troubled for Curious Subjects to exercise their Philosophy which they thought to have found in the extraordinary particulars which the Antients had left in Writing concerning the Wonders of the Camelions Nourishment and change of Colour we do think that the new Observations of the Motion of its Eyes and that of its Tongue and the
Toes being equal having each their three Phalanges and the Pollex not being more separate from the other Toes than the rest are from each other The Nose Eyes and shape of the whole Head did hardly render it different from the Castor The Teeth only were unlike not being sharp nor so strong as those of the Castor which made us to think that Aristotle has mistaken the Otter for the Castor when he exaggerates after the manner already shewn the strange force of its Biting for our Otter had not those four great and long Incisores which are particular to the Castor and some other Animals as the Hare Squirel and Rat all the Teeth being made like those of the Dog or Wolf and the Canini being as is usual longer than the incisores So that these Teeth made all the resemblance that we found the Otter to have with the Dog altho Bellonius reports that it has its Head and Aelian calls it the River-Dog The Ears which were little as in the Castor were lower than the Eyes and situated near the lower Jaw The Hair was not half so long as that of the Castor containing in that place of the Body where it was longest but eight lines whereas that of the Castor was eighteen It s Colour was in some measure different from that of the Castor but not after the manner as Authors do express it for they do report that the Hair of the Castor inclines more to Grey and we have found the contrary our Otter having the Hair underneath its Throat Stomach and Belly much Greyer than it was in our Castor The Hair of the Tail was shorter than upon the Body but a great deal longer than on the Feet The rest of the Hair viz. on the Head and Back was of a Colour resembling that of the Castor being of a dark Chesnut and of two sorts the one longer Browner Straiter and thicker the other shorter grayer more frizled and softer To finish the Description of the outside it remains to speak of a Particular very remarkeable and which greatly distinguishes the Otter not only from the Castor but even from other Brutes which is the extraordinary Formation of the exteriour Orifice of the Matrix where we found the Nymphae and a Clitoris as in Women The Clitoris which was situated at the superiour part of the Nymphae and beyond their junction was three lines in length It was composed of Membranes and Ligaments which inclosed a Bone two lines long The generality of the Parts which were seen by the Dissection were yet more different from those of the Castor than the exteriour are The Liver which contained but five Lobes in the Castor had six in our Otter The Spleen which was Cylindrical in the Castor and very small not exceeding ten lines Diameter and seven inches in length was flat in the Otter being an inch and half in breadth and four and a half in length But its Connexion was so particular that it was not only different from that of the Castor but from almost all other Animals in which the Spleen is generally fastened to the Stomach whereas in our Otter it was at the Epiploon The Kidneys were three inches long and two broad In the Castor they were not two in length but the principal difference was in the Conformation which was so extraordinary that it resembled that of the Kidneys of a Bear those of the Otter differing only in the number of little Kidneys whereof the one and the other are composed for instead of fifty two little Kidneys which we found in the Bear there were only ten in the Otter which were seperated one from the other each having their Parenchyma Vena and Arteria Emulgens apart with a third Vessel which was a branch of the Pelvis which the dilatation of the Ureter produced and ten branches of which went to each little Kidney one These little Kidneys besides a common Membrane that enveloped them had store of Fibres which tied and collected them into a heap which had a Figure somewhat longer than the Kidneys usually have and there was one of these small Kidneys which was a little more separated from the rest and which extended this Figure towards the top so that this little Kidney might be taken for the Capsula Atrabilaria The Pancreas was composed of conglomerated Glands like that of the Castor and generality of other Animals but they appeared more distinct and separate one from the other than usual The Lungs as in the Castor was composed of seven Lobes six of which was equal in size and the seventh very small which seemed only an Appendix of the sixth We carefully sought in the Vessels of the Heart that Foramen Ovale which is thought to be in Animals whilest they do remain without breathing in the Belly of their Damme for supplying the use which is attributed to Respiration which is to assist the Circulation of the Blood which is made through the Lungs by means of the dilatation and compression of this part We had formerly made this search in the Castor because that some have thought that that Animal had need of this conformation of the Vessels of the Heart to make it able to indure the cessation of Respiration which it undergoes when it plunges and dives a long time under Water but we found not this Foramen open nor that there were other Conveyances which might grant passage to the Circulation of the Blood than those which are in the Lungs Yet the Truth is that we observed some vestigia of this Aperture which seemed to demonstrate that it had not been long closed which appeared to us the more probable for that we were assured that the Castor had been a long time shut up in his Hutt without having liberty to plunge into the Water and that it might happen that this Foramen was stopped as it usually is in all Animals a little after their Birth when the faculty which they have of breathing renders this Foramen useless But in our Otter we found not any appearance that there ever had been a Foramen which might grant passage to the Blood from the Vena Cava into the Arteria Venosa and this sufficiently agrees with the Remarques which all Authors have made that the Otter is ever and anon forced to raise it self above the water to Breath which the Castor does not having a much greater facility of wanting Respiration for a considerable time The other Parts which have been carefully Dissected have furnished us with nothing considerable and which deserves to be remark'd The Explication of the Figure of the Civet-Cat IT is disposed in such a manner that one may see the Situation of the Pouches in which are the Receptacles of the Odoriferous Liquor and the three Apertures which are peculiar to this Animal and which are more distinctly represented in the upper Figure In the Upper Figure A A. Is the End of the Penis forceably drawn outwards B B. The Anus of the
like an Epiploon The upper part which covered the Ventricles was thin and transparent without Fat Glands or apparent Vessels the part which descended to inclose the Intestines had some Vessels and Fat but in a very little quantity The Spleen was round thin and wholly adherent to the great Ventricle It was six inches Diameter The Vessels which do make the Vas Breve were utterly imperceptible The Gibbous and upper part was fastned to the Diaphragme by three strong Ligaments The Liver had but one Lobe and was only Cleft before and quite whole within The right side was somewhat more extended that the left and made a point towards the Kidney There was no Gall-Bladder The Kidney was very large being five inches long and three broad There was no Ren Succenturiatus The Penis had no bone The proper Membrane of the Testicle was immediately fastened to the Glandulous Substance so that it was absolutely inseparable therefrom and more than usual in other Animals Over this Membrane were an infinite number of Blood-Vessels some whereof were strait and as big as a Bodkin others were undulated and as it were frizled very small about the bigness of a Pin. The Glandulous Substance of the body of the Testicle was Yellow that of the Epididymis of a pale livid Red. The Uniting of the Vasa Praeparantia was wreathed and confounded and made a Tube about the bigness of ones Finger which produced the Epididymis which covered and imbraced the top of the body of the Testicle even as the Cup of an Acorne This part resembling an Acorne did produce a body about the thickness of ones Finger which descended along the body of the Testicle being there fastened and made towards the bottom a kind of a Teat from whence it returned along the side opposite to that by which it descended and formed the Vas Deferens which was about the thickness of a Swans quill The Lungs had seven Lobes four on the right side and three on the left The Heart was very large almost round and soft because that the Ventricles were very large There was a Bone as usually in Staggs TO the Description of the Stag we do joyn that of the Hinde to discover wherein these two Animals did agree and in what they were unlike besides the difference of the Sex. The highth of this Hinde was two foot eight inches from the back to the Ground The Neck was a foot long The hind-legg from the Knee to the end of the foot was two foot and to the Heel one foot The Hair was of four Colours viz. Fallow White Black and Gray There was some white under the Belly and on the inside of the Thighs and Leggs On the Back it was of a dark fallow On the Flancks of an Isabella-fallow Both the one and the other on the Trunck of the Body was marked with White Spots of different figures along the Back there were two rows in a direct Line the rest was confusedly Speckled Along the Flanks there was on each side a White line The Neck and Head were Gray The Tail all White underneath and Black at Top the Hair being six inches long The Epiploon was fastened to the Peritonaeum directly over the Navel and inveloped the Intestines underneath It was composed of very thin Membranes and small Vessels without Fat It was double The Liver was small and like to that of the Stagg in that it was not separated into several Lobes having only the fissure which is generally at top towards the middle and an other underneath inclining to the right side There was not also any Gall-Bladder The four Ventricles were better distinguished and separated each from other than they were in the Stagg where there was distinctly seen but two The first and greatest Ventricle had on the inside a Membrane easily separable from that of the outside as in the Gazella This internal Membrane was rough by an infinite number of Asperites or Teats as is generally seen in Animals which chew the Cud. All this great Ventricle was contracted in several places and separated in different Pouches as in the Stagg it was filled with Grass amongst which there was found several pieces of Skin of shoe-Soles about the bigness of a Crown-piece some pieces of Lead about the bigness of ones Nail which seemed worn and fretted and some Fragments of slate This may make one to think that these sorts of Animals do hastily gather their Food in the Fields and that they do wait to cull it leisurely when they Chew it The second third and fourth Ventricle were not different from those of Sheep The Intestines were very long as in the Stagg but less in proportion They measured in all forty foot There were two sorts the first which made about a quarter were Grayish and plaited in Folds six inches long the others were of a dark Red and folded very small in Cells The Mesentery was composed of very fine Membranes The Spleen was covered with a hard thick and whiteish Membrane Its figure was round it was like that of the Stagg strongly knitt to the Ventricle and Diaphragme The Cornua Uteri were long and bent into several Anfractuosities Their extremity was applyed to the Testicle which was small on the inside of each of these Horns there were two folds of the internal Membrane which did forme some leaves ranged according to the length of the Hornes almost after the same manner as is seen in the third and fourth Ventricle of Animals which chew the Cudd. The Heart was extraordinary large and soft It s Ventricles were extended by a quantity of coagulated bloud which filled them The Lungs had seven Lobes The Truncks of the two Iugulars as well the internal as external had each sixteen Valves disposed in six rows about two inches distant from each other The four upper rows consisted each of three Valves the two lower ones had only two but they were larger than those of the upper rows The disposition of these Valves was such that the aperture of the Sacks which they did form was toward the Head to stop as it is probable the too great impetuositie of the Bloud which falls in its returne from the Brain into the Axillary Branches Those of the Moderns who are ignorant what is the Motion of the bloud in the Veines have attributed this use to all the Valves of these Vesseles the situation of which is found to be contrary to the Motion and course of the Bloud after the Manner as they understand it and favourable to the course which it efectively has for the Circulation that is to say for its return towards the Heart Bartholinus has remarkt two Valves in one of the Iugulars Riolanus who first found out these two Valves affirms that they are never found but in the internal Iugular although we have alwayes found them in the external as well as Internal But this situation of the Valves contrary to the Motion of the Bloud towards the Heart
Feet in found only in Animals which do love and dilight-in Watry places where it is known that the Turky-Cock takes no pleasure In fine in the exact Description which the Ancients have made of the Meleagris it is impossible if it were the Turky-Cock that they should omitt the remarkable and particular things which appear in the Turky-Cock and which are not found in the Pintado such as are the way of displaying its Tail of dragging its Wings against the ground of extending and suffering the Combe on its head to hang of having the Neck rough and wholly void of feathers and of having a Lock of black Hair at the Breast As for what respects the Inward parts we found the Oesophagus as in most Birds ranged on the right side of the Aspera Arteria It was inlarged before its entrance into the Thorax and made a Craw of the bigness of a Tennis Ball when it was blown up afterwards it was contracted to pass thro the Thorax This contracted part measured two inches and a half in length This whole Oesophagus was spread over with a great quantity of Vessels which were not visible in the passage which from the dilatation that we have taken for a Craw passed to the Gizard this passage being of a Substance hardder whiter and more Nervous than the rest The Gizard was as in the Hen. It was found for the most part filled only with Gravel It s internal Membrane was very much plaited and easily separable from the fleshy part It s substance was like to white glue so that this Membrane being separated from the Gizard was easily dryed and waxed hard and brittle like Glass The Intestines were three foot long without reckoning the two Caecums which were each six Inches The Duodenum was much larger than the others being above eight Lines The Caecum's were not of a uniform breadth as in the generality of Birds but did go inlarging They were fastned by the Membranes of the Mesentery and received vessels therefrom like the other Intestines There was no Pancreas The Liver was divided into two Lobes which at the top had each a Cavitie to receive the point of the Heart The Cavity of the right Lobe was greater and deeper than that of the left because that the point of the Heart was turned towards the right side The lower extremitie of the Lobes was fastened to the Diaphragme which descends from the top downwards and to the Bladders which the Lungs form in the lower Belly of Birds In most of our Subjects the Liver was Scirrhous and filled with a great quantity of hard yellow Grains some as large as Pease and others less We found a Gall-bladder only in two of our Subjects In the one it was nine Lines in length and six in breadth It had a Ductus from its bottom which was inserted into the Intestine near the Pylorus In the other it was an Inch and half long and four Lines broad being fastened to the hollow part of the right Lobe and the Ductus was from its middle and not from its lower extremitie and inserted it self into the Intestine four Fingers beneath the Pylorus In the other Subjects which had no Gall-bladder the ramus Hepaticus was there found very large and visible It measured five Inches in length and was inserted into the Intestine six Inches beyond the Pylorus Towards the upper part of the Gizard there was a body of an oval Figure nine Lines long and of a dark red Colour and a firm Substance It had connexion with the Trunk of the Vena Porta with that of the Cava and Aorta and with the Intestines and Ventricle by some very visible branches Some Modern Authors have observed that Birds which have a fleshy Ventricle have no Spleen Yet we are of Opinion that this body could be no other thing than a Spleen as well by reason of these Connexions as of the Sympathie which it seem'd to have with the Liver because it was found that in all the Subjects where the Liver was Scirrhous this part was after the same manner altho' the hard and compact Substance of this body in the subjects where it was Scirrhous and its Figure so regularly oval might cause a belief that it was a Testicle but there were two other round bodies four Lines Diameter couched on the Loyns and fastened to the Trunks of the Vena Cava and Aorta which were the true Testicles In one of the Subjects these round bodies were single and fastened on the place of the division of the Iliacks The Air being blown into the Aspera Arteria it made all the Bladders to swell which received the Air after it had passed thro' the Lungs and of which there are some that do descend into the lower Belly of Birds it is observed that the Pericardium was likewise blown up This Remark may be of some Importance to discover the uses of Respiration and the Advantages which the Air being by this means introduced into the Thorax may bring to the Heart by the Compression it may there cause by the Impression of its Qualities by the reception of the Fumes which it incessantly exhales in the continual heat in which it is c. The Membrane of the Pericardium was not just fit and fastened to the Heart as is usual but was a great deal extended towards the Point making a sack or Appendix half an Inch long In one of the Subjects this Appendix was a great deal longer for descending between the two Lobes of the Liver it went to be fastened to the Gizzard The Aspera Arteria after having entered the Cavity of the Thorax had two small Muscles which were knitt to its Anteriour part and which turning on the one side and the other somewhat downwards were by several Fibres united to the Vessels of the Heart These Muscles were each almost an Inch long round like a Cord and about the thickness of two thirds of a Line We have found these same Muscles in a great many Birds in most they do fasten the Aspera Arteria to the Sternum The Lungs were of Spongious flesh perforated with several little holes as bigg as the head of a small Pin regularly placed as well full as empty and covered with a very fine Tunicle They were of a Pale-red inclining to Ash-colour being two Inches and a half long and nine Lines broad and five thick The Heart measured an Inch and half in length and an Inch in breadth towards its Basis it was very pointed The Aorta being come out of the left Ventricle was turned directly forward being still in the Heart and covered with the right Auricle so that it seem'd to proceed from the right Uentricle and crossed over in this place to descend to the right side For this same reason the left Carotide did likewise appear to come from the Heart altho' it proceeded from the Trunk The division of the Trunk of the Aorta which formes the Iliack Branches was an Inch and half
communicate themselves along the Testicle to which they inserted some Branches at equal Spaces In this place they were exceedingly invelop'd with Membranes and Fat But notwithstanding these Impediments their Structure and Communications were distinctly seen because that having boiled one Testicle and all the Fat being melted the Vessels evidently appeared and shewed that after being united they were separated to rejoyn again The Deferens descending along the Spine to the second Bladder was there fastened after being dilated and changed into a Membrane This Ductus as usually was solid and without Cavity at its beginning and at the end it was enlarged and became Membranous The Liver was red of a Substance hard and firm By its Figure it resembled that of a Man being divided into two great Lobes The left was parted into two other small ones There was also another little one in the middle and at the bottom of the two great ones which was found but in one of the Subjects There was no Gall-Bladder but only a Ductus Hepaticus which proceeded from the middle of the hollow part of the Liver and inserted it selfe at the Pylorus The Ductus was formed by the uniting of three great branches which were distributed into the whole Substance of the Liver At the extremity of one of these Branches very near its Insertion into the Ductus there was a Dilatation about the bigness of a great Filbeard which did not appear because it was again covered over by the Parenthyma of the Liver The Vena Porta was double having two separate Truncks and each their particular roots The first which was the bigger was fastened to the right Lobe at the place where the Gall-Bladder commonly is in Birds The second the lesser came out from the bottom of the left Lobe The Vena Cava was joyned along the great Diaphragme right by the side of the Aorta The Pancreas was ten inches long and an inch broad It was placed between the first fold which the Intestines do make in forme of a long Sinuosity as in most other Birds It was of a true flesh-Colour The Glands whereof it was composed were wholly separated from each other and joyned only by Membranes The Ductus Pancreaticus was knitt to the upper part of the Iejunum It proceeded from the middle of the Pancreas where the two branches joyned which it shot forth into each half of the Pancreas one towards the top and the other towards the bottom It is remarkable that in the Generalitie of Birds the Ductus Pancreatici are inserted near the Cholidochi but in our Ostriches the insertion of the Pancreaticus was above three foot distant from that of the Hepaticus The Spleen was fastned to the Ventricle by a strong Membrane which conducted and held the Splenatick Vessels It was Cylindrical being two inches and a half long and Eight Lines Diameter yet it was a little smaller at the bottom than at the top It s Parenchyma was Solid and like to that of the Kidneys of Quadrupedes The Kidneys comprehended eight inches in length and two in breadth In most of our Subjects they were different from the Kidneys of other Birds not being cut into several Lobes but having a continuity very equal Their whole Substance which was quaggy appear'd moreover very unequal as being composed of a great quantity of Glands They had a very fine Membrane that immediatly covered them which was again covered over with another stronger and thicker supplying the use of the Membrana Adiposa The colour of these Glands was of a very brisk dark Red. In some of our Subjects we found the Kidneys were cut in three as usually the upper and lower part being larger than that of the middle The Ureter was not as in other Birds lay'd upon the Kidneys from top to bottom but it was included in their Substance where it was a little larger than outwardly as it were to form a Pelvis which was about the length of the Kidney In this Pelvis there was seen several holes which were the Mouths of the Branches or Channels which the Pelvis sends into the whole Substance of the Kidney There was not any appearance of Papillae The Rings which composed the Aspera Arteria were intire but a little compressed which gave them an Oval Figure The Larynx consisted of one Cricoides and one Arytaenoides The Cricoides resembled that of a Man and the Arytaenoides was made of two flat and large Cartilages articulated with the Cricoides by the means of their Muscles Between them they left an Aperture of six Lines which made the Glottis These two Cartilages were covered over with one Muscle which plainly serv'd to close the Mouth of the Glottis by drawing them together The Diaphragme was not single as in terrestrial Animals where there is but one Partition which separates the Parts contained in the Thorax from those of the lower Venter But there were several Diaphragmes which made a great many separations by dividing the Cavity of all this part of the Body which is called the Trunck into six other Cavities by the means of five Partitions which may be taken for as many Diaphragmes There were four of these Diaphragmes or Partitions whose Situation was direct from top to bottom and a fifth seated a Cross. Of the four strait ones two were little and two great the little ones covered the Lungs which were fastened to the sides and separated them from the four upper Bladders of the Lungs The great Diaphragmes which covered these Bladders as the little Ones covered the Lungs left a great space in the middle where the Heart and Liver were included together The fifth Diaphragme which was seated cross-wise going from the middle of one of the great Diaphragmes to the middle of the other separated the Heart and Liver from the Gizzard the Intestines and other parts of the lower Belly in which the two inferiour Bladders of the Lungs were likewise held So that the six Cavivities were a great one of the lower Venter another great one of the middle of the Thorax seated over the first two middling ones at the side of the second which contained the four upper Bladders and two little ones at the side of these middling ones where the right and left Lungs were inclosed Each of the little Diaphragmes which we call the Muscle of the Lungs because that it was fleshy and covered the Lungs had its Origine very fleshy which was divided into six heads fastened towards the extremity of the great Ribbs near the Angle which they do make with other little Ribbs that fasten them to the Sternum instead of the Cartilages which knitt them in Terrestrial Animals These six Heads did altogether produce a large Tendon or Aponeurosis which being couch'd on the Lungs went to joyn it self with the Aponeurosis of the other opposite Muscle on the Vertebrae of the Back to which it was also strongly connected The direction of the Fibres of this Muscle was Oblique inclining a little
towards the bottom so that its Action is to contract the Thorax by closing the Ribbs and drawing them downwards Each of the great Diaphragmes which was only a Membrane without Musculous flesh and consequently without Action and serving only for a partition has seemed to us to meritt rather the name of Diaphragme than the two little ones that were Musculous and also than the Diaphragme of Terrestrial Animals which serves for other purposes than to separate the upper Belly from the lower being principally imployed by its Motion in the Respiration which is called free as are the Muscles of the Thorax for the Respiration which is called Violent and forced the which is performed by the Dilatation and Constriction of the Thorax Each of these Diaphragmes was joyned at the top and at the fore-side along each Ribb of the Strnum which was very broad in our Ostriches as it commonly is in Birds At its back-part it joyned to the Aponeurosis of the Muscle of the Lungs and by the means of this Aponeurosis to the Vertibrae of the Back At the bottom it was fastened to the transverse Muscle of the lower Venter The Transverse Diaphragme was seated a little lower than the bottom of the Sternum It proceeded from the middle of one of the great Diaphragmes and cle a ving on the forepart to the Transverse Muscles of the lower Belly and on the hind-part to the Aponeuroses of the Muscles of the Lungs it went to fasten it self to the other great Diaphragme Underneath it was garnished with Fat about the thickness of ones Finger The Lungs being included between the Ribbs and little Diaphragmes called by us the Muscles of the Lungs were composed of two Red and Spongious fleshy parts as in other Birds They were each ten inches long and three and a half broad being an inch and a half thick Each of the two Branches of the Aspera Arteria entring into the Lungs was divided into several branches which were distributed into its whole Parenchyma as in Terrestrial Animals except that all these Branches were simply Membranous without any Cartilages The Air passing into these branches went to the external surface of the Parenchyma which was pierced with an infinite number of little holes which were seen through a very thin Coat wherewith the whole Lungs were covered to inclose the Air and let it out only thro five holes each about five lines Diameter and ranked according to the length of the Lungs some towards the Back-bone others towards the Sternum Those holes which were towards the Sternum piercing the fleshy part of the Muscle of the Lungs to penetrate into the Bladders were oblique and it seem'd to be thus formed that the Air might be voluntarily retained in these Bladders by the Action of the Muscle which by contracting it selfe might lessen this hole for some uses which may be conjectured as it shall be explained in the sequel The four Bladders which were on each side at the top of the Thorax were included as has been said between the Diaphragme and the Muscle of the Lungs where with they were covered over The Coat of each Bladder was fastened by the sides of the Diaphragme and Muscle of the Lungs At the top and bottom it was joyned to the Coats of the Neighbouring Bladders between which it was The fifth Bladder which was a great deal larger than the rest was not included between the Diaphragme and the Muscle of the Lungs but between the two Diaphragmes with the Intestines and other parts of the lower Belly and that they toucht the Muscle of the Lungs only at the place where it was Pierced to give passage to the Air that it received from the Lungs In Eagles and some other Birds we found these Bladders fastned by the bottom to a Membrane exceedingly loaded with Fat which inclosed as in a Sack the Ventricle and Intestines and which we have taken for an Epiploon The parts of this Structure could not be so well observed in other Birds by reason of the tenderness of the Coats whereof these Bladders are composed which in the Ostrich are about the thickness of a Hog's Bladder and we found those of the lower Belly in one of our Subjects four times thicker being Scirrhous But in most other Birds it is almost impossible not to cut them in making the Dissection and they can be well viewed only by keeping them extended by blowing into the Aspera Arteria This knowledg of this Structure gave the Society an occasion of making several Reflections on the manner of Respiration in general and on that particular to Birds to indeavour to arrive at the knowledg of the uses which these Organs must have which are so different in the one and the other of these Animals It was considered that Respiration serves not only to the refreshment of the Heart and to the Voice but that it is also useful for the Concoction and Distribution of the Nourishment by the continual agitation and constriction of the Thorax which pressing the Lungs fill'd with Air and by this Means rendered like soft Pillows makes that they gently squeeze out not only the Blood contained in their Vessels and push it into the Heart but do also compress the other Vessels shut up in the Thorax to favour the distribution of the blood as it appears in violent Actions where the retention of Respiration is necessary for it is observed that it makes the blood to rise up into the Face But the manner whereby Respiration is accomplisht by Inspiration and Expiration does evidently demonstrate the verity of this use in terrestrial Animals for Inspiration is performed when the Thorax is inlarged by the changing of the situation of the Ribs and Sternum which renders its capacity more ample and by the relaxation of the Diaphragme which likewise diminishes the Capacity because that it makes it to mount on high and take up a part of the Thorax Now this Relaxation which is a thing passive is not sufficient for the powerful effort that Expiration requires because that the Air inclosed and compressed by the Action which the Pectoral Muscles do cause in Respiration would be capable of forcing the Diaphragme downwards if not thrust upwards by some power which acts strongly in Expiration This Power is double one is that of the Mediastinum which after having been drawn and extended in the inspiration when the center of the Diaphragme descends downwards do's afterwards draw the same Center upwards as do's Spring which after having been forc'd returns to its first State by an Action which Galen calls Natural and which is not volentary like that of the Muscles so that he attributes to it the involuntary retraction which happen's to the parts by Muscles whose Antagonists have been cut The other power which makes the Diaphragme to ascend is that of the muscles of the lower Belly which may pass for the Antagonists of the Diaphragme when they do compress whatever is contained under the Diaphragme For
by this Action making the Liver Ventricle and other parts of the lower Belly to rise up they force the middle of the Diaphragme upwards which afterwards descends when by its proper Action which is Extension it again takes the strait and flat figure which the Contraction of the Fibres do give it This compression of the Muscles of the lower Venter on the Viscera is so powerful that the Ventricle has been somtimes observed to have been pusht into the capacity of the Thorax when the Diaphragme had received a great Wound as Paraeus Sennertus and Hildanâ—…s do testifie By these Actions of the compression of the Muscles on the Viscera making them to ascend and of that of the Diaphragme making them afterwards to descend and by the continuity of these alternate Motions it may be said that Respiration is in respect of the the Humours contained in the lower Venter what the Pulsation of the Heart is in regard of the blood contained in its Ventricles that is to say that this compression and agitation serves not only to the distribution of the Chyle as that of the Heart serves to force the blood into the Arteries but that it is one of the principal causes of the generation of the same Chyle by the division attenuation and mixture of the parts of the Food which this continual agitation is capable of producing These Actions which are essentially necessary for Life and which must be porformed in Birds as in terrestrial Animals are there also perform'd by Respiration altho' with different Organs for tho' the Diaphragme of those Birds that have it musculous or at least the Muscle of the Lungs in the Ostrich has some Tension and Relaxation by the means of which the Lungs and its Bladders are comprest it has not that Motion which it has in terrestrial Animals by which the Viscera are somtimes forc'd upwards somtimes downwards and the Muscles of the lower Venter by reason of their smallness cannot compress them but very feebly because that almost all the lower Belly is covered with the Sternum whose size must be exceeding great as it is to give rise to the great Muscles which do draw the Wing downwards the force of these Muscles being unable to answer the powerful Action of flight if they were less So that this weakness of the Museles of the lower Venter and Diaphragme must be supply'd in Birds by the Bladders of the Lungs which are alternately filled and emptied in their Respiration and the manner of their acting is thus When the Thorax is dilated by the Action of the Pectoral Muscles the Air enters into the Lungs and at the same time from the Lungs into the Bladders but it must be understood that it enters only into those which are inclosed in the Thorax because that there is nothing which by dilating the Bladders contained in the lower Belly can give occasion to the Air to enter in for on the contrary it is then that they shrink and that the Air which they contain re-enters into the Lungs But when afterwards the Thorax is compressed and contracted the Air lockt up in the Bladders of the Thorax being thereby squeezed out one part goes out through the Larynx the other enters into the Bladders of the lower Belly and swells them at the same instant that the upper ones are evacuated and afterwards when the upper Bladders are filled by the dilatation of the Thorax they do receive not only the outward Air thro' the Larynx but also that of the Bladders of the lower Belly which are compressed at the same time that the upper ones are dilated and this happens to them as well by reason that their Coats do return into their first state by the force of their Spring as because that the Viscera which have been forc'd and compressed by the dilatation of the Bladders do in their turn force them aided by the Muscles of the lower Belly notwithstanding their smallness This makes a Reciprocation and Vicissitude of Impulsions which supplys the potent Action produced by the great Muscles of the lower Belly in terrestrial Animals This Action of the Bladders which serve for the Respiration of Birds is plainly seen when they are dissected alive We have made the Experiment thereof in great Birds as Geese and Turkey-Cocks in which having open'd the lower Belly without hurting the Bladders which are there it was remarked that when the Thorax was depressed in the Expiration the lower Bladders did swell and that when it was dilated for Inspiration they did shrink This particular manner which Birds have in their Respiration may be explain'd by the Bellows of Forges which seem to have been made after the imitation of the Organs of the Respiration of Birds For these Bellow's have a double capacity to receive the Air. The first is that underneath which receives the Air when the Bellows is opened and this capacity represents the upper Bladders shut up in the Thorax The second capacity is that above which represents the Bladders of the lower Belly For when the inferiour capacity is contracted by the compression of the Bellows The Air which it has received enters through a hole with which it is pierced and passes into the upper capacity so that the Air forceably thrust do's enlarge this capacity by making the upper board to rise this hole being in the middle board between them which is as it were a Diaphragme between the two Capacities that compose the Bellows which are different from those of the Bladders of the Lungs of Birds in that their situation is different the capacity of the Bladders which do first receive the Air being in the Superiour part in Birds and in the Inferiour in the Bellows of Forges The Society has likewise made on several other Birds some Remarks concerning the Respiration of these kinds of Animals which will be found in their Descriptions The Heart was almost round being six Inches from the Basis to the point and five in breadth Birds have it generally longer in proportion The Auricles were small and the Ventricles great The Aperture of the Vena Cava was very large without any Valves There was only as it were a Sack whose side which was a partition between its Cavity and the Mouth of the Vena Cava did serve for a Valve which might be called Sigmoides This Structure is common to the Heart of Birds The other Valves were in the other Vessels of the Heart as usually The Aorta desceded along the right side as in other Birds being shut up in a Capsula formed by the Aponeurosis of the Muscles of the Lungs The Skull was soft In one of the Subjects we found a Fracture Naturallists have observed that when the Ostrich fears any danger it thinks it self in safety when it has hid its Head. The Cerebrum with the Cerebellum was but two inches and a half long and twenty Lines broad The Dura Mater divided not the Brain in two by that large Production called the Falx
of which formed by the sides of the Ligaments were Convex and the third formed by the Tunicle of the Intestine was strait Each of the two Ligaments was not only Spongious as it is ordinarily in other Animals but they were hollow with a long Cavity in form of a Pipe which went from the Os Pubis where was the Origine of the Ligaments as far as the Glans The Vessells which were sent into the body of the Penis had a particular distribution For whereas the Artery Vein and Nerve do usually all three run upon the Penis there were but two in our Subject And the Vein after having formed a Net work and several Circumvolutions towards the root of the Penis did penetrate into the Ligament and producing a Trunk which running along the Internal and Superiour part of the Cavity sent forth several Branches into all the rest of the internal Surface of this Cavity The Structure of the Glans was yet more Extraordinary than all the rest Above it terminated in a point and appeared to be the continuation of the Ligaments not differing therefrom neither in its Substance nor its Tunicle Underneath it had two flat and almost circular Append ces placed one upon the other The greatest which was fastned to the Glans underneath was an Inch and half in diameter The least which was fix'd to the middle of the greatest contained but half an Inch. It had moreover two little Appendices like two buds about the bigness of a Line All the Glans was of a Colour like to that of the Inferiour part of the Tunicle of the Rectum which serv'd as a Case to the Penis 't was of a very dark slate Colour There were two Muscles serving to draw the Glans inwards They took their Origine from the Vertetrae Lumbares and passing along the side of the Rectum inserted themselves at the upper part of the Penis near the Glans Towards the middle they were interlaced with two other Muscles appointed for the Motion of the Tail and which served them as a Pully The Heart was seated in the upper part of the Breast being closed in a very thick Pericardium and fastned by the lower part of the Membrane which covered the Liver It s Figure differed greatly from that which the Heart generally has For instead of being extended from its Basis to its point its greatest dimension was from one side to the other being three Inches this way and an Inch and a half only from the Basis to the point The two Auricles which proceeded from the Basis were very loose and as it were hanging down The right had two Inches and a half in length to an Inch and half over the left was lesser The Vena Cava which as has been said had two Trunks proceeding the one from the right part of the Liver and the other from the left convey'd the Blood thro' each of these Trunks into each of the Auricles These Auricles as usually opened each into a Ventricle and at each of the Apertures which gave passage to the Blood from the Auricle into the Ventricle there were three Valvulae Sigmoides which contrary to what is usuall in this kind of Valve hindred the Blood from going out of the Heart to return into the Auricles performing the Office of the Valvulae Tricuspides Besides these two Ventricles which were in the hinder part of the heart which faceth the Spine there was a third in the fore-part inclining a little towards the right side These three Ventricles were communicated by several Apertures their Substance not being solid and continued as in the Hearts of other Animals but Spongious and composed of Fibres and fleshy Columns contiguous only to each other and interwoven together Besides the strait Apertures which were between these Columns there were others more capacious by which the two Posteriour Ventricles had communication together and with the Anteriour Ventricle The two hinder Ventricles as has been sayd did recieve the Blood from the two Trunks of the Vena Cava with the Blood of the Pulmonique Veine which was double there being one on each side For these Veins emptying themselves into each Axillary did mix the Blood that they had received from the Lungs with that of the Vena Cava to carry it into the right Ventricle from which the Aorta did proceed The Anteriour Ventricle had no other Vessel than the Pulmonique Artery This Artery as well as the Aorta had three Valvulae Sigmoides the action of which was to hinder the Blood which is got out of the Heart from re-entring when the Ventricles have dilated themselves to receive the Blood of the Vena Cava and the Lungs This uncommon Structure of the Ventricles and Vessels of the Heart must have some particular uses on which we will not declare our Conjectures supported on different Experiments till after having shewn that the Structure of the Lungs is not less extraordinary For the one and the other Structure is thus extraordinary in these parts by reason of the particular Actions that they have in Amphibious Animals of which kind the Tortoise is The Aorta at the end of the right Ventricle was divided into two Branches which formed two Crosses These Crosses before they were quite turned downwards did produce the Axillares and Carotides Afterwards the left Cross descending along the Vertebrae did cast forth Branches The first was distributed to all parts of the Ventricle The second went to the Liver Pancreas Duodenum and Spleen The third furnished Branches to all the Intestines Afterwards it was united with the Branch of the right Cross which descended so far without casting forth any Branches and both formed but one Trunck which descending along the Body of the Vertebrae gave Branches to all the parts of the lower Belly The Larynx was composed as in Birds of an Arytenoides and Cricoides articulated together The two Bones which do each make one of the Horns of the Hyoides were not articulated the one to the other but each separately in different places of the Basis of the Hyoides The Cleft of the Glottis was strait and close apparently to keep the Air a long time enclosed in the Lungs for uses which shall be afterwards explained It may be also believed that this so exact inclosure is to prevent the Water from entring into the Aspera Arteria when the Tortoises are under Water And this particular Conformation of the Glottis may be the Cause of the Snoring of the Sea-Tortoises which as Pliny reports is heard a great way when they do float sleeping upon the Surface of the Water The Sea-Calves which are likewise remarkable for their Snoring have also their Glottis and Epiglottis extraordinary close as has been remarked in the Description of this Amphibious Animal The Aspera Arteria which had its Rings intire was separated at the entrance of the Breast into two long Branches of six Inches each From the entrance of the Lungs these Branches did loose their
out and make it pass into the left Ventricle It may be again Imagined that the Ventricles of the Heart of the Tortoise and other Animals whose Lungs are absolutely Membranous not having their walls solid like those of the Heart of the Dogg wherin the Blood has no freer passage from one Ventricle to the other but cross the Lungs but that being Porous in all their Substance and also open one into the other by very large holes it must not be thought strange that altho the Lungs remain Immoveable whether blown up or sunk the Circulation is not hindred and that in these Animals it is always performed after the same manner as it is in the Foetus Because that in the Foetus as in these Animals the Lungs receive the Blood only for their Nourishment and not for the intire Circulation so that it sends to the Heart only the remainder of what it has not consumed And in fine as the intire Circulation is not performed but by the Anastomoses of the Heart in the Foetus it is done also in the other Animals which we treat of only by particular Apertures which the Ventricles of their Heart have one into the other But to be more assured that the Blood Circulates not intirely thro' the Lungs in the Tortoise the Trunck of the Artery of the Lungs was tyed up and it was observed that the Motion of the Heart was in no manner altered and that the Circulation was continued always after the same manner Now this is easier to be seen in this Animal than in others by reason that its Heart being whitish and the Walls of the Ventricles thin before the Blood was in some sort seen to enter in and go out of the right Ventricle from which the Aorta proceeds as has been declared and this was known by a redness which happens when the point of the Heart approaches its Basis and which disappears when it is remote from it For it is easy to judg that when the point approaches the Basis 't is then that the Heart utter'd the Blood from its Ventricles because that at this very instant their Walls presing inwards and compressing the Blood did cause a redness to appear in this place The Compression being capable of making the Bodys which their Spongious consistence has rendered Opake to become diaphanous by the diminution of the Intervals which make them Spongious In fine this Circulation thus apparent which has continued for four Dayes the Lungs being opned and cut in several places has seem'd to us very clearly to Demonstrate that in the Tortoise the Lungs serve not for the Circulation of the Blood as in the Animals which have fleshy Lungs The true use of the Lungs in the Tortoise and other Animals of its Genus is a thing which has seemed to us obscure enough to excite us to examine it carefully and to allow us the boldness of promoting thoughts somewhat extraordinary following the liberty that we thought we might take to our selves in these Memoires where we do not place things as being compleated but only as materials which may be employed or rejected according as they shall be found fitt or useless or defective when time by new Experiments or better Argumentations shall better make known their Worth. We do believe then that there is no appearance that the Lungs of the Tortoise serve for the intire Circulation of the Blood for the Reasons which have been alledged neither is it made for the Voice the Tortoise being absolutely Mute And it is not conducing to the refreshment of the Internal Parts nor for the Evacuation of their Vapours seeing that it wants the continual and regulated Motion which is observed in other Animals and which is necessary for these purposes So that there remains only the compression of the Internal Parts whose uses have been explained in the Descriptions that we have made of Birds and which are reduced to the preparation and distribution of the Nourishment But we do search after another use more Important and which being more particular to the Tortoise and the other Animals of its Species does better answer to the particular Conformation of their Lungs and we have found that to this part may be attributed the faculty that the Tortoise has of raising and holding it self above the Water and of sinking to the bottom when it pleases in so much that it supplys the place of the Air-Bladder which is found in most Fishes There are several conjectures on which we found the probability of this Opinion and which do make us to think that this Bladder of Fishes and the Lungs of the Tortoise being enlarged do render the Body of these Animals light enough to Swim upon the Water and that when these parts are contracted and the Air which is capable of compression taking up less room by reason it is straitned and so the whole Body being less extended it descends to the bottom after the same manner as the little hollow Figures of Enamel enclosed in a Pipe of Glass do sink to the bottom when by pressing on the surface of the Water the Air is compressed which is enclosed in the Cavity that makes them Swim We have frequently observed that as soon as a Tortoise is put into the Water it casts forth thro' the Mouth or Nostrils several bubbles which are in all likelyhood formed by the overmuch Air that it has in its Lungs for the keeping it self in a just Equilibrium which puts it in a condition of being heavy enough to sink to the bottom at the least compression which its Muscles do make upon its Lungs just as the little Figure of Enamel descends in the Water at the smallest effort that is made to compress the Air that it encloses and it is easy to comprehend that if the Tortoise being at the bottom of the Water relaxes the Muscles that did compress its Lungs the Air by the Virtue of its Spring returning into its first State can give again to its whole Body the extent which it had when it did Swim upon the Water The probability of this Arguing has been confirmed by Experience A living Tortoise was lockt up in a Vessel full of Water on which there was with Wax exactly fastned a cover from the top of which there went a Glass Pipe. The Vessel being full so as to make the Water appear at the bottom of the Glass pipe we observed the Water did somtimes ascend into the Pipe and that somtimes it descended Now this could be done only by the augmentation and dimunition of the Bulk of the Tortoise and it is probable that when the Tortoise endeavoured to sink to the bottom the Water fell in the Pipe because that the Animal lessened its Bulk by the contraction of its Muscles and that the Water rose by the slackning of the Muscles which ceasing to compress the Lungs did permit it to return to its first size and did render the whole Body of the Tortoise lighter
And the internal parts of these two Animals have the same conformity altho' Albertus affirms the contrary At the first opening the Skin seemed not to us extraordinary hard nor impenetrable as Cardan reports but it was found strongly connected by a number of hard and nervous Fibres which proceeded from the Muscles and penetrated the Panniculus carnosus The Oesophagus was not so large that the Lion could swallow as some Authors tell us the members of Animals all intire for it exceeded not an inch and half in breadth and was drawn together by the Foramen of the Diaphragme after the usual manner being not open and dilated as it is in most Fishes and Serpents which do easily swallow whatever enters into their Mouth The Stomack was eighteen inches long and six broad situated from the top to the bottom inclineing a little to the right side and rising towards the Pylorus At the Superiour and Anteriour part there were two unequal Protuberancies The Intestines were not very long comprehending all together but twenty five foot the Colon eighteen inches and the Appendix of the Caecum three The Pancreas was like to that of Catts and Dogs and the great Glandules of the Mesentery which are by Asellius called Pancreas were also like to those of these Animals The Liver in which we found seven lobes as in Catts was of so dark a red that it inclined to a black It was also very soft It s hollow part under the Gall-bladder was filled with choller diffused into it's Substance and into that of all the Circumjacent parts which was the sole Circumstance that gave us some suspition of the cause of this Animals death which we judge to be the Disease to which Pliny alone say's Lions are subject and which he calls Aegritudinem fastidii For whether this be understood of the mortal trouble which it conceives of its captivitie as that Author expresses it or that this signifies the disgust which kills him for want of eating it is well known that the retention of the choller may cause either The Gall-bladder was seven inches long and one and a half broad It s Structure was very particular being anfractous towards the Meatus Cholidochus and as it were seperated into several cells Catts have exactly the like The Spleen was a foot long two inches broad and half an inch thick It was not so black as the Liver notwithstanding that general rule which Galen gives of the colour of the Spleen which he says is always blacker than the Liver especially in Animals which are of a Temperament hot and dry and which have sharp Teeth So that there is great probability that this blackness of the Liver was extraordinary in this Subject and not natural The Kidney was almost round being three inches and a half in length to two and a half in breadth and thickness It weighed seven ounces and two drachmes The Parts of Generation had this particular that the Urethra was not crooked but quite strait from the Bladder to the extremitie of the Penis and that the beginning of the Ligaments which with the Urethra do compose the body of the Penis was very remote from the Prostatae which are at the beginning of the neck of the Bladder So that the Urethra which in all contained eleven inches extended not being joyned to these Ligaments the length of three inches and a half Which made us to doubt of the truth of what Aristotle says concerning the Physiognomie of the Lion to witt that he has eminently and above all other Animals visible and apparent signes of the strength and perfection of his Sex. The reason of this Structure appears to us to be founded on the extraordinary breadth of the Os pubis along which the Urethra must descend from the Bladder the bottom of which must pass over the Bones to their inferior part from whence ariseth these Ligaments which do compose the Penis This Conformation makes the the Lion to piss backwards and not by lifting up the Legg like Doggs as Pliny say's and that he couples with the Lionness after the same manner as Camells Hares c. In opening the Thorax it was observed that from all the Cartilages of the Sternum which had been cut there came out two or three drops of Blood which demonstrated that these parts are not so solid as that their cavities should be imperceptible as some Authors do think seeing that they are penetrated by some Sanguinary Vessels as is seen in all Animalls when young The Mediastinum was furnished with abundance of great vessels The Membranes which composed it and which were perforated like a net were joyned and left no space but towards the Diaphragme on the right side of the Heart where there was a very large and ample cavity The same thing is observed in Catts The Lungs were found to have six Lobes on the right side and three on the left All the Annular cartilages of the Aspera Arteria made an entire circle excepting two or three under the Larynx in which besides their greatness which was four inches in compass there was not more than two lines which were not entire The breadth of this Organ of the voice seem'd to us very capable of making the dreadful noise of its Roaring The Ductus lacteus Thoracicus was very small and joyned to a long fillet of fat which was extended to the whole length and at the side of the body of the Vertebrae it was two lines broad The Heart which was found dry and without water in the Pericardium was in proportion much greater than in any Animal containing six inches in length and four in breadth towards the Basis and ending in a very sharp point It s Substance appear'd to us very soft before it was opened but it was discovered that this proceeded from its being lean and hollow its Ventricles being so ample that the left one which descended into the Cuspis left but two lines of thickness in the flesh which covered it at this place towards the Basis it had but seven and the Septum had almost as many The Auricles of the Heart were so small that the Right which is the greatest was not half an inch The Structure of the Heart of Catts is not so particular for it is more obtuse at the Cuspis and fleshy than ordinary The Proportion of the Branches which the Ascendent Aorta emitts was such that the Carotides contained the same thickness as the left Subclavian and as the remainder of the Right from whence they do arise which is very considerable in respect of the smallness of the Brain The same thing is observed in Catts excepting that they have a great deal more Brains in proportion to their Bigness The Brain exceeded not two Inches every way It was included in a Cranium about half an Inch thick in the thinnest place and almost an Inch in the Fore-head The Crown was elevated like the Crest of an Helmet to give rise to the Muscles of
the Temples which do cover the Two sides of the Crown of the Head and in the middle of the fore-head do leave that Cavitie which Aristotle in his Physiognomy adjudgeth to be peculiar to Lions Every of these Muscles was five inches in length four and a half in breadth two in thickness and Twenty Ounces in Weight This Head thus Garnished with Flesh and Composed of Bones so firm in their structure and Substance made us to think that if the Bear according to Pliny has a Head so tender and weak that it may be Slain with a slight Blow it is probable that it would be very difficult to stun a Lion and that this was well known to Theocritus who tells Hercules that all that he could do to the Nemaean Lion with his Club was to stun him and that he could not kill him but by Strangleing him with his Hands The Bone which is found in Brutes between the Cerebrum and Cerebellum over the Satura Lambdoides was an Inch and a half long Ten lines broad and Two thick of a squarer Figure than that which is in the Scull of Cats Doggs c The Glandula Pinealis was diaphanous and so small that it exceeded not a line in length and two Thirds of a line in breadth at its Basis. The Optick Nerves appeared much thicker after their Conjunction than before Which proceeded hence that the Foramina thro' which they do enter into the Orbita are not round but like a slitt which makes them broader by flattening them Being past thro' the Foramen of the Orbita they were extended to the Globe of the Eye two Inches and a half in length It was observed that the Cavity of this Orbita was not wholly fenced with a Bone on the inside but that there was a hole towards the Temples between the Apophysis of the Os Frontis and that of the first bone of the Jaw which were not joyned more than in Cats Doggs c. The Globe of the Eye was sixteen lines Diameter The Cornea was about the third part of a line in thickness at the middle and grew thicker towards its Circumference till it came to half a line after the manner of the glasses in Spectacles The Iris was of that pale colour which is called Isabella The Tunica Choroides appeared of a Gold-colour and which had nothing of that Verdure which most Authors do give to the Eyes of the Lion. The Reverse of the Anterior Vuea in the Place it lyes upon the Crystallinus was all Black. The Crystallinus was found very flat and its greatest Convexity contrary to what is in other Animals was in its anteriour part which is also observed in the Eyes of Catts The Figurs of the Crystallinus was such that it seemed shrunk up having a Dent in the side which made the Crystallinus of the left Eye where this dent was the greatest like the Forme of an Heart But one of these Crystallinus's which began to be spoilt by a Glaucoma made us to suspect that this was Praet ernatural and particular to our Subject The Aqucous Humour was found very abundant so that it almost equal'd the sixth part of the Vitreous Humour This abundance was Judged to be the cause of the clearness which remained in the Eyes after Death which are obscured when the Cornea is dryed and contracted for want of this Humour which keep 's it extended The last Observation was that considering the Season which was hot and moist when this Dissection was made and the disposition to Putrifaction which must needs be in the body of an Animal Dead of a Disease and which all Authors report to have a breath so stinking that it Infects whatever it approaches to such a degree that other Animals do not touch the remainder of the Flesh whereof he has eaten yet there appear'd nothing to us which denoted any extraordinary Corruption its smell being less offensive than that of a Deer which must be embowelled soon after it is killed And altho' there were found some Wormes in its Flesh the fourth day it was judged that they were ingender'd of Flyes because that a piece of the Tongue wrapt up in Paper was dryed in the space of one night and was grown very hard without any smell Which made us conclude that if the Lion is subject to a Feaver it is not caused by the Corruption of Humours and is only an Ephemera altho' it is said that he has it all his life This may cause a Belief that Choller is a Balsome in the body of Animals which resists Corruption and which has this effect that Lyons in whom it is praedominant do live a long time There was likewise made another reflection upon the smalness of the Brain of this Animal of which Natural Historians do relate so many marks of Judgement and Reason and by comparing it with the abundance of that of a Calfe it was judged that the littleness of Brain is rather the sign and cause of a savage and cruel Disposition than a want of Judgment This conjecture was fortified by an other Observation which was made four dayes before upon a Sea-fox where was found hardly any Brain altho' it was thought that the Sagacitie and Subtiltie which it hath has given it this Name amongst Fishes all the Kinds of which are generally ill provided of Brain so that they have little disposition to the Society and Discipline which Terrestrial Animals are capable of THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF ANOTHER LYON THis Lyon was extraordinary large though very young It was seven Foot and a half long from the end of the Nose to the beginning of the Tail and four Foot and a half high from the top of the Back to the ground Our Observations were almost the same with those which we have already made on the first Lyon but amongst other things the straitness and narrowness of the Thorax which we have already remarkt seem'd to us very considerable in this Subject For in the inside from the one side to the other in the largest place it exceeded not seven Inches of which the Heart took up four so that there remained but three for the Lungs Pericardium Mediastinum and Vessels of the Heart The Pericardium was likewise without Water and the Intestines short in Proportion to the Body containing but Twenty five Foot in length which was just three times the length of the Body The Crystallinus was more convex on the outside than the inside What we found different is that the Liver which was of so dark a Red in the first Lyon that it appeared Black was so pale in this that it had a Feville-morte Colour That the Annular Cartilages of the Larynx which were intire in the first Lyon which nevertheless was not Old were found imperfect in this which was Younger And we were not able to resolve whether we ought to atribute to the difference of Age that which we observed in the Paws because that in those of the Young Lyon we
Uteri yet it is very true to say that the structure and use of the Tuba in Women and the Cornua in Brutes have nothing essentially different seeing that as there are some Examples of the Conception made in the Tuba we have some Observations which do manifest to us that this Tuba has sometimes also an evident Cavity We have here put the Figure of the Uterus of a Woman in which we found two apparent Cavities which made some windings eight Lines long and near two broad at their beginning which from the Fundus Uteri did Penetrate into the Tuba At the end of each of the Cornua a little below the Testicle there was a long Body of a Nervous Substance which was taken for the Ligamenta Teretia For it descended into the Groyne and was there dilated like a Goose's Foot as in Women It s original was only different in this that in Women these Ligaments proceeded from the very Body of the Uterus at the place where the Tuba began a good distance from the Testicle Soranus Writes that he had seen in a Woman this round Ligament which he calls the Cremaster of the Testicle of Women which was fastened near the Testicle even as we have Observed in our Lyonness The Mediastine was not pierced like a Net as in the first Lyon but its Membrane was thick and continued The Lungs had seven Lobes three of each side and one in the middle Those of the right side were larger than those of the left The whole Parenchyma of the Lungs was scirrhous The Vena Coronaria was very large but the Heart was much less than in the two Lyons which have been dissected The inside of the left Ventricle was scirrhous towards the mouth of the Artery of the Lungs and it seemed that the Lungs had communicated this Distemper to the Heart There were two Polypus's one in each Ventricle of the Heart All the Basis of the Heart on the out side was sirrounded with a flimy Substance which formed several unequal Protuberancies instead of the Fat which is commonly found in this place The Tongue was armed as in the Lyons with great points like Claws they were lesser softer and blunter The Ventricles of the Brain were very large and the Cavity where the Falx enters and which divides the Cereâ—…rum in two was likewise very deep containing ten Lines The Glandula Pinealis was exceeding small not exceeding a Line The Christalline Humour like as in Lyons was more convex before than behind which was not found in the other Lyonness where it was flat and more convex behind The Membrane which is put into the bottom of the Eye and laid on the Choroides which we call the Tapetum was of an Isabella Colour intermixt with a brisk Greenish Blew It was easily separable from the Choroides which remained intire with its ordinary thickness after that we had taken away the Membrane which forms this Tapetum The Optick Nerve was near the Axis of the Eye In it 's middle there was seen to appear a Foramen which disappear'd when the whole Retina was layd on one side and that it was not equally extended about the Optick Nerve on the Concavitie of the Choroides The Explication of the Figure of the CAMELION IT is represented alive perched on a Tree somewhat crooked towards the side which it ascends to discover as much as is possible the top of the Head and bottom of the Belly In The Parts which the Dissection discovers A. The Gall-Bladder B. The left Lo e of the Liver C C. The right D. The Oesophagus E. The Ventricle F. The Pylorus G. The Ductus Cholidocus h. The Vena Porta I. The Vena Cava K K K. The Intestins L M. A Membrane which held all these Parts linkt together and suspended N. The first Bone of the Sternum O. The left Lobe of the Liver P. The upper part of the Lungs blown up and speckled with red Spots Q Q Q. The rest of the Lungs blown up R. The Aspera Arteria tyed to keep the Lungs blown up S S. The Os Hyoides T. The Cartalaginous Style to which the Trunk which sustains the Tongue is fastened X X. The Tongue Y. The Trunck drawn up Z Z. The Kidneys Γ Γ. The Cornua Uteri Δ. The Neck of the Uterus K K. The Intestines Θ Θ. The Eyes λ λ. The Optick Nerves Î . The Brain We did not think that the Skeleton needed any Explication by reason of the Neatness of the Figure and the exactness wherewith it is described in the Discourse THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF A CAMELION THere is scarce any Animal more Famous than the Camelion its admirable Properties have ever been the Subject as well of Natural as Moral Philosophy The changing of its Colour and the particular manner of feeding which is attributed to it have in all Ages given great Admiration and Exercise to those that do apply themselves to the Knowledg of Nature And those Wonders which Naturalists have related of this inconsiderable Animal have made it to be the most Famous Symbole used in Rhetorick and Ethicks to represent the base compliance of Courtiers and Flatterers and the Vanity wherewith simple and light Minds do feed themselves It s very name in Tertullian is the Subject of a Serious Meditation upon False-glory and he proposes it as the Example of the Impudence of Cheats and Boasters It is not known truly why the Greeks have bestowed so fine a Name upon so vile and ugly a Beast by calling it the Little-Lyon or Dwarf-Lyon according to Isidâ—…re's Etymology Gesner says that it somewhat resembles the Lyon without mentioning wherein Panarolus would have it the Tail which is crooked at the end as he says like the Lyons But the Truth is that neither the Camelion nor the Lyon have a crooked Tail. It would be more probable to place the Resemblance on the Crest which they both have on the Top of the Head which makes a kind of Casque But it appears on the Lyons Head only when the Fleâ—…h of the Musculi Crotophitae is cutt off Licetus thinks that this Name was given it because as the Lyon Hunts and Devours other Animals so the Camelion catches Flies by the same reason that a little Worm which Hunts and takes Ants as Albertus hath described is called Formicaleon and that a little Lobster as Pliny and Athenaus report is named Lyon because it is of the same Colour The Camelion is of the kinde of four-footed Beasts which do lay Eggs as the Crocodile and Lizard which it sufficiently resembles save that its Head and Back is not flat like the Lizards who has likewise much shorter leggs with which it crâ—…wls very fast along the ground whereas the Camelion has longer leggs and goes easily only upon Trees where it delights it self much more than on the ground because that as it is sayd it fears the Serpents from which it cannot secure it selfe by flight and that from thence it spies
appeared very curious but they were strengthened by Fibres inter-woven like Nets When we ceased to blow all these Membranes falling down and lying upon one another caused all these Bladders to disappear which indeed are nothing else but the Processus of the Lungs Gesner saith that of the Intrails of a Camelion the Lungs only are visible But Aristotle has more truly observed that Quadrupeds which lay Eggs have Lungs almost invisible if they are not blown into to swell them Indeed whatever appeared in the place where the Lungs ought to be was before it was extended by blowing but like two little pieces of Rose-coloured Flesh about the bigness of a Bean situated on each side the Heart which made Panarolus to say that the Camelion has little Lungs But these little pieces of Flesh were not all the Lungs they could be taken only for the Membranes of the upper part of the Lungs plaited and heaped together which in this place were interspersed with small Red Eminences which when the Wind dilated these Membranes appeared all over the extent of their Superfices and when the Membranes subsided these little Red Eeminences approaching one another caused again this appearance of Flesh which was no spongious Substance as Panarolus would have it but only a heap of contiguous Membranes The Aspera Arteria was very short composed as is usually of Annulary Cartilages It had a Larynx at its beginning made up as it were of two Epiglottides which shut the opening or Chink making a kind of Glottis which was a transverse slit and not upright as it is in Animals that have some kind of Voice of which our Camelion was wholly destitute The Heart was very little not exceeding three Lines in length It s Point appeared as if it were cut off The Auricles of the Heart were very large especially the left and somewhat Redder than the Heart which was very pale The Vessels about the Heart were very full of Blood. The Brain was found so little that it was hardly above a Line Diameter and was not twice as large as the Spinal Marrow which was very White the Brain being of a Reddish-Gray The Optick Nerves were not so short that the Brain should be continued and fastened to the Eyes as Aristotle describes them They were not likewise as Panarolus represents them who sayth that they do proceed separately from the Brain but do not joyn again for there were two Eminences in the Brain which were the Origine and first part of the Optick Nerves and these Eminencies after joyning separated into two Strings eight Lines long a piece and inserted into the Ball of the Eye out of its Axis as is usual This Globe was covered with a Tuniâ—…a Conjunctiva underneath which was the Insertion of the Muscles of the Eye which were not fibrous as Panarolus saith nor of little pullies as Johnson would have it but a true Musculous Flesh. Over the whole Tunica Conjunctiva was an Orbicular Muscle which fastened the Lidd to the Eye to which it was so adherent that it served to give the same Motion to the Lidd as to the Eye It s particular Action was to close the little round hole of the Lidd this Muscle being raised the Iris was seen intire which Iohnston saith the Camelion wants It was of an Isabella Colour incompassed at its interior Edge with a little golden Circle which has already been mentioned The Cornea was very small the fore-part of the Sclerotica very thick and hard and the hinder part very thin The Choroides Black under the Iris and Blewish in the bottom the Retina very thick and somewhat Reddish the Humours all Aqueous so that it was impossible to didistinguish them the Crystallinus it self seem'd to be confounded with the other Humours Near the place through which the Optick Nerves do enter into the Orbitae or Eye-holes several very fine fibres of Nerves did likewise enter and passing into the Vacuity which is in the middle of the Orbitae did penitrate into a great Sinus which was in the upper Iax-Bone where are the holes of the Nostrils This Sinus was full of hard fibrous and very Red Flesh through which the passages of the Nostrils did go these passages being made thro' a very hard Yellow Membrane they were oblique ascending all the way from the hole of the Nostril into the Sinus and afterwards they descended into the Palate which by a very hard membranous production covered the Extremity of each passage in which we found nothing that could carry the Air towards any Organ for the Sense of Hearing Aristotle has observed that the generality of Fish do hear though they have no conveyance for the hearing but we have found neither any passages for sound nor any Sign in the carriage of our Camelion which could make us to think that it had the Sense of Hearing So that it is a true Saying that it is an Animal that neither receives nor makes any Noise The Nerves which proceed from the Spinal Marrow were easily seen when the Intrails were taken away They proceeded after the usual manner from the Vertebrae and some of those which were dâ—…stributed into the fore-leggs came out from the superiour Vertebrae of the Thorax because that the Vertebrae of the Neck which is very short could not sufficiently afford them They entered into the Capacity of the Thorax three on each side which first united and being afterwards divided returned towards the Omâ—…platae Those designed for the moving of the hind-legs did after the same manner enter in at the sides of the Os sacrum were united and afterwards divided to distribute themselves into the Leggs Between every Rib there was one which proceeding from the lower part of these Verteâ—…rae at the top whereof the Rib is articulated went cross-wise obliquely ascending towards the Ribs and accompanyed them to the end Aristotle says that the Camelion hath no Flesh but on the Jaws and at the beginning of the Tail Ours had all over the Body except underneath the Thorax and Belly where instead of the Musculi intercostales and those of the Abdomen there was only transparent Membranes but double and fibrous which were thought capable of assisting the Motion which the Ribs ought to have for the Respiration of the Camelion which is very slow the principal Organ of this Motion of the Ribs being a fleshy part which descended on both sides of the Back-bone near their Articulation which might be the Musculus Sacrolumbus All the Back-bone Tail upper part of the Thorax the fore and hind-legs were furnished with Musculous Red fibrous Flesh whose White and Silver-colour'd Tendons were so visible that it would have been very easy to have made a Muscular Dissection thereof all these Muscles being without Fatt of which we found no appearance in all the Animal unless one might take for Fatt four or five little Grains like to Millet which were fastened to the Membranes and filled the Intervals of the Ribs But the
Inches and a half from the external Orifice to the Bifurcation of the two Hornes or Ductus's which from the Bifurcation to their Extremitie where the Testicles were contained each four Inches and a half in length The Testicles were six lines long and four broad They were composed of several Glands The Lungs had seven Lobes like the Liver They were almost all dryed up and friable through the extraordinary heat of the Blood which was Blackt by adustion This Blackness of the Blood had made the Heart livid and tinged the Water of the Pericardium so that it was Bloodie The Heart was two Inches and a half long and two Inches broad The Auricles Vessels and Valves were as in a Catt The Muscles of the Temples were large and strong being eight Lines in thickness and two Inches in breadth This bigness seemed to us very considerable to make dubious the beliefe which we had that the Lupus Cervarius is the Lynx of the Antients because that when Galen speaks of the different size of the Muscles of the Temples in various Animals he gives only three examples of those which have them extraordinary small and feeble which are Man the Ape and Lynx But it is probable that Galen means the little Lynx of Oppian which only hunts Hares and not that which devours Staggs which is the Lupus Cervarius The Sinus's of the Skull were very ample and open The Bone which sepertes the Brain from the Cerebellum was like to that which we have found in a Tiger Fox Dog Cat and a great many other Animals At the opening of the Skull the Anfractuosities of the Brain appeared thro' the Dura Mater which was transparent The external part and Substance of the Brain which is called the Cortex was very white and solid The Glandula Pinealis was very small The Ball of the Eye was an Inch Diameter It was almost Sphâ—…rical except the Cornea which was raised somewhat more pointing The thickness of the Cornea which was half a Line was every where alike It was joyned as usually with the Sclerotica by the mutual Attenuation of the extremitie of the two Membranes which being each in this place made like the Diamond-cut of a Glass do so joyn themselves that both together are not thicker than each apart because that the thinnest place of the one which is its extremitie lyes upon the thickest place of the other These Sloapeings were each two thirds of a Line broad The Sclerotica which was outwardly White and inwardly somewhat Blackish by the touching of the Uvea was very thin at the bottom not being thicker than strong Paper It was twice as thick at its extremitie towards the Cornea At the side of the Cornea there was a Membrane as in the Lyon which serves for an internal Eye-lid which easily covered all the Pupilla when it was thrust over it It was of a triangular Form. The two lesser sides were fastened to the Conjunctiva The third which was the largest could slip and advance over the Eye to cover it The fore-part of the Iris was of a Yellow-colour mixt with a great many little red Lines which were broken and of an unequal size It was Black at the hinder part which lay upon the Crystalline The Aqueous Humour was very abundant but somewhat muddie being sullied by the dissolution of some part of the Black Substance which is fastened to the Uvea The Crystaline was seven Lines diameter and five thick three of which made the Anteriour Convexitie and two the Posteriour The Vitreous Humour was very Clear and Transparent The Tapetum of the Uvea which was of a Blewish White was pierced by the Optick Nerve not at its extremitie as it is seen in most Animals but almost in its Center The Optick Nerve had in its middle a Red point inclineing to Black. The Explication of the Figure of the Castor or Beaver IT is represented below with half of the Body that is the fore part on the Land and hind part in the Water because that it was observed dureing the time that it was kept that it loved frequently to plung its hind-Paws and Tail into the Water In the Upper Figure A A. The Os Pubis B. The bottom of the Bladder C C. The two first Pouches which are the largest of those wherein the Castoreum is prepared and contained D D. The two second which are less E E. The other Pouches of a third sort inclosed in the second D E. Several little globular Body 's seen upon the second and third sort of Pouches F. The Common Hole to the Intestine and Penis G. The begining of the Penis H H. The Epididymides I. The Testicles K K. The Vasa Spermatica Praeparantia L L. The Deferentia M M. The Cremaster's N. One of the fore-Paws O O. The Colon. P. The Caecum Q. A Ligament fasten'd to the Caecum along which are spread several Vessels which loose themselves in the Coat of this Intestine R R. The Brain S. The Sinus of the Dura Mater T T T T. Four other Sinus's proceeding from the other which divide the Cerebellum in three V V V. The Cerebellum X. The bone of the Penis THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF A CASTOR OR BEAVER IT was so much the more necessary to observe nicely all the Parts of the Castor because there has not hitherto been made an exact Description thereof the Ancients having been almost wholly silent concerning this Animal and the Moderns applying themselves more to speak of its Nature than to examine the Structure of its Body That which was dissected at the King's Library was taken in Canada about the River of St. Lawrence It resembled an Otter but was larger and bigger and weighed above Thirty Pounds It s length was about three Foot and a half from the end of the Nose to the tip of the Tail and its greatest breadth was near twelve Inches The Hair which covered its whole Body except the Tail was not every where alike but there were two sorts which were mingled together and which differed in length as well as Colour The bigger was about an Inch and half long and as thick as the Hair of ones Head. Its Colour was Brown somewhat inclining to a Minime or Soot-colour but very bright and its substance was firm and so solid that having cut it cross-wise there could not any Cavity be seen even with the Microscope The lesser was about an Inch in length there was some much shorter than others it seemed likewise more slender and was so soft that the finest down is not softer The mixture of these two sorts of Hair so different is found in many Animals but it is most remarkable in the Castor Otter and Wild-boar and it seems that it is likewise more necessary for them For these Animals being subject to wallow in the Mire besides the short Hair which Nature has given them to defend them from the Cold they had need of another longer Hair to receive the Mudd and keep it
great difficulty to seperate them with a Launcet Rondeletius runs into the same error altho he has examined à little better than other Authors the Pouches from which the Castoreum is taken but yet very negligently not to perceive that they are four in number for he reckons but two There are some more Modern Authors who have not gone much farther than the other contenting themselves with knowing that the Testicles are different from these Pouches and have so ill understood Dioscorides as to believe that when he says the Testicles of the Castor are hid in the Groins he took the Pouches for them But experience hath demonstrated to us that all these Authors are mistaken if all Castors are like to that which we Dissected for the Testicles were no more on the inside than the Pouches they were only a little higher at the external and lateral parts of the Os pubis in the place of the Groins where we found them wholly concealed so that they appeared not outwardly no more than the Penis before that the skin was taken off Their Figure and Shape was very like to the Stones of Dogs save that they were longer and lesser in proportion to their length They were little more than an inch long their breadth was half an inch and their thickness somewhat less As to the Epididymis and all the Vessels necessary to Generation they differed in nothing from those of Dogs The Penis appeared more singular to us In its extremity instead of the Balanus it had a Bone fourteen lines long and made like a Stylus which was two lines broad in its basis and suddainly straitning it self ended in a point There was this also remarkable that whereas the Penis of Dogs re-ascends from the Os pubis towards the Navel this descended downwards towards the passage of the Excrements where it ended It was as we have said concealed so that before the skin was taken off we perceived it not and we could not discern of what Sex this Animal was The better to examine these Parts we opened the lower venter and having traced the Spermatick Vessels to their Origine we found them like to those of Dogs and other Animals We observed likewise that the Penis was laid upon the Rectum and that it passed underneath the two first Pouches of the Castoreum to which it was closely joyned that moreover these Baggs received their Veins and Arteries from the Hypogastrick Veins and Arteries there being no appearance that there were other Vessels which could furnish the matter whereof the Castoreum is formed unless it be imagined that it is caused by the Uret which is improbable As to the other parts of the lower Venter the Muscles of the Abdomen Peritonaeum Stomach and Bladder had nothing remarkable and their Structure was altogether like that of Dogs The Intestines had little considerable except the Caecum which was two inches and a half in breadth and ten in length It was unusually ranged on the left side underneath the Spleen from whence it descended to the Cavity of the Ileum and terminated in a round point making an Appendix of an inch in length It was that which made us to distinguish this Intestine from the others It s Figure was not strait but a little crooked like the blade of a Scythe In the concave part of this bending there was a Ligament and in the convex another both like to those which are commonly found in the Colon of Men and these Ligaments were accompanied with Veins and Arteries which came from the Venae Mesentericae and spread from space to space their branches into the Body of this Intestine Two fingers underneath the great end of the Spleen there lay a little Spherical Body very extraordinary which appeared of the same Substance as the Spleen altho it was remote from it It was three lines Diameter The other Intestines were so little different from one another that we could never distinguish the Colon. They were near twenty eight foot long Having opened them we found in the inside eight Worms long and round like to Earth-worms three whereof were between seven and eight inches long and the rest about four The Spleen was laid along the left side of the Stomach to which it was fastened by eight Veins and as many Arteries which made so many Vas Breve's It s Colour was very Red Its length seven inches and its thickness almost equalled its breadth which was about ten lines We observed nothing particular in the Liver save that it was divided into five Lobes of the same Colour as the Lobes of a Dogs Liver The Gall-Bladder was hid under the hollow part of the Liver between two of its Lobes It was two inches and a half in length and near an inch in breadth All the lower Venter was overflowed with a diffused Choler which had perhaps occationed the death of this Animal The Pancreas was nothing different from that of Dogs It s length was ten inches but it exceeded not two in its greatest breadth Though this Castor was very Fat especially through the Belly and Tail yet there was found very little in the Tunica adiposa of the Kidneys and in the Epiploon Each Kidney was an inch in thickness near two in length and as much in breadth at the middle The Cartilago Xiphoides was round and fourteen lines broad but very thin and pliable Having afterwards opened the Thorax we observed little difference between all the parts which were there inclosed and those of Dogs The Lungs had six Lobes three on the right side two on the left and another little one which was in the Mediastinum near the Center of the Diaphragme That which was most remarkable in the Heart is that the left Auricle was larger than the right which is likewise seen in some other Animals but not in Man who on the contrary has the right Auricle of the Heart bigger than the left We the more carefully sought after the Foramen Ovale which several Modern Authors have averred to be found in all Amphibious Animals and even in Men who do often dive and swim a long time in the water But what exactness soever we used in the search we could not discover that hole in the Heart of our Castor It is true that as it had been several years penn'd up at Versailles without having the liberty of going into the Water it might be that this hole was closed up even as it happens to the Foetus after it is born and has breathed sometime Indeed it seemed that in this place there had formerly been a hole which was since grown up Under the Vena Coronaria we found the Valve called Noble which fills the whole Trunck of the Vena Cava and which was so disposed that the Blood might easily be carried from the Liver to the Heart by the Vena Cava but which is hindred from descending from the Heart towards the Liver through the same Vein The Heart was two inches and
Bone of a Pullets Thigh Along the Penis there were two Veins very large and full of Blood which went to the Balanus The Testicles were like to those of Dogs The Epiploon was very small It had little Fat and was a complication of Fibres and Fillets rather than a Membrane It was not laid upon the Intestines but tucked upon the Ventricle The Spleen was two inches and a half long It was of a Dark-red at the side of the Stomach in its hollow part and Blackish at the extremity in its gibbous part There was not observed any Vessels in the external Membrane of the Ventricle except the Coronaria Stomachica which appeared towards the upper Orifice and soon disappeared shooting forth a few Branches The Liver was somewhat blackish and of a Substance very Homogeneous without any appearance of Glands It had seven Lobes two great ones on the left side and five other small ones on the right side The Bladder was between the two upper Lobes The Pancreas which was fastned along the Duodenum inclining more towards the right Kidney than towards the Spleen was very small The Mesentery was all filled with a very hard Fat which inclosed and almost concealed all its Vessels The Intestines contained in all seven foot in length They were all of one thickness and had nothing which might distinguish them from each other there was no Caecum The right Kidney was a great deal higher than the left so that two Lobes of the Liver covered it The Lungs had five Lobes two on the right side and two on the left which were somewhat smaller and a fifth in the Mediastinum The Heart which resembled that of a Dog had the right Auricle extremely great In the right Ventricle and in the right Auricle there was found a great deal of slimie matter hardened The Musculus Crotophites passing under the Zygoma was fastned there It was extraordinary fleshie even to its insertion which is made by a very large tendon which was inclosed between two pieces of Flesh much thicker than those which are generally found in this place and which are thought to be there put to defend and strengthen the tendon of the Muscle of the Temples The Orbita was not Bony throughout but it was supplied in the upper part by a Crrtilaginous Ligament which joyned the Apophysis of the Os Frontis to that of the first Bone in the upper Jaw The Bone which separates the Cerebrum from the Cerebellum was as in Dogs The Dura Mater was very adherent to the Cranium The Sinus's of the Os Frontis were full of a matter like a fryable Fat. The Mamillares Processus were very large The Globe of the Eye exceeded not four lines and a half in Diameter The Aperture of the Eye-lids was larger and the Pupilla it self was not lesser than the whole Globe of the Eye The Crystalline contained three lines in breadth and two and a half in thickness and was more convex inwards than outwards This thickness of the Crystalline made the two other Humours to be less in quantity The Choroides was all over of the same colour viz. of a very brown-red without any Tapetum which is hardly ever wanting in the Eyes of other Animals The Explication of the Figure of the SEA-CALF THE lower Figure shews the difference that there is between the Fore-feet which are locked up under the skin except the Paws and hind feet which are joyned together having the form of a Fishes Tail. It may be likewise observed that the Ears do seem to have been cut off having no external Ears In the Upper Figure A. The Trunck of the Vena Cava B. The Trunck of the Aorta CC. The Venae and Arteriae Adiposae D. Ren Succenturiatus E. The right Kidney strip'd of the Membrana Adiposa and divided by the Gibbous part ffff Four small particular Pelves F. The Emulgent Vessels of the right Kidney GG The Emulgent Vessels of the left Kidney H. The left Kidney covered with its Membrana Adiposa GI The left Spermatick Vein which generally enters into the Emulgent but which has three other Branches which do fasten it to the Membrana Adiposa KL The Ventricle half of which is taken away to represent the Structure of the Internal Membrane whose wrinckles are undulated and waved in the upper part and strait in the Lower MMM The Liver N. The Gall-Bladder OO The Heart P. The Vena Cava which runs along by the Basis of the Heart QQ The Auricles of the Heart R. The Aorta making the Cross. S. The right Arteria Axillaris T. The left Axillaris Δ. The Artery of the Lungs VV. The Carotides XX. The Nervi Recurrentes YZ The Vena Cava opened at the place where it is fastned to the Heart Y. The hole which penetrates into the right Ventricle Z. The Oval hole which penetrates into the Vein of the Lungs a. An edge made by the Interiour Membrane of the Vena Cava bc One of the Hairs of the Beard represented twice as big as the Life d. Part of the Sclerotica which with the Cornea not represented makes the half of the Eye cut in two e. The Crystalline gg The Vitreous Humour hiii The other half of the Eye h. The Extremity of the Optick Nerve which enters directly at the Axis of the Eye iii. Three Branches of Blood-Vessels which do enter into the Eye with the Optick Nerve and which are ramified in the Retina Ω. The Tongue THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF A SEA-CALF RONDELETIVS has observ'd that the Sea-Calfe is of two Species one of which is found in the Mediterranean and the other in the Ocean But he makes no other difference between each of these two Species than the habit of the Body which he reports to be fuller in the Sea-Calfe of the Ocean than in that of the Mediterranean which is not so thick and short as the other The Sea-Calfe whose description we make had more resemblance with this second Species than with the first It had a long Neck and the Head farther distant from the Shoulders than it is in the Calfe of the Ocean so as it is represented in the figures we have of it and the rest of the Body was likewise straiter The Breast was broad by reason of the situation of the Omoplata which were forwarder than they are in other Animals which have the Breast Pointed and narrow when the Omoplata are backwarder The whole Animal was twenty eight Inches in length from the Nose to the end of the hind-Feet which according to the disposition that they Naturally have in this Animal were extended and joyned one to the other having in this only the forme of a Fish's Tail according to the Description of Aristotle which is contrary to that of Rondeletius who represents the Sea-Calf as well that of the Ocean as of the Mediterrrnean without hind-feet and who reprehends Aristotle for reporting that this Animal has Toes on the hind-feet like to those of the
fore-feet so that it seems that Rondeletius has confounded the true Sea-Calfe or Phoca of the Ancients with the Sea-Ox of the West-Indies which has no hind-feet but only a mishapen Fish-Tail which it makes use of for Swiming which it performes with a very great Swiftness according to Clusius who says that he saw one which the Hollanders had brought from the Indies The Sea-Calfe which we describe had not only two hind-feet but besides that a Tail of an Inch and a half long which Aristotle justly compares to the Tail of a Stagg T is true that the Toes of these feet were not so shaped nor so distinct as in the fore-feet and that these two feet thus extended as they were and joyned one against the other had rather the Forme of a Fishe's Tail than that of the feet of Animals which have any and which they commonly bend under the Belly These feet were like to those of a Ducker which cannot walk like other Birds by holding their Body parallel to the ground but which are forc't to go upright like man. Aristotle says that the feet of the Sea-Calfe resemble Hands his meaning is that the fore-feet of this Animal in stead of the three parts which do compose the Arme of a Man viz. the Arme Cubitus and Hand have only the last correspondent to the hand of Man so that this Part proceeds immediately from the Breast The Sea Ox of the Western Islands which is a kind of Sea-Calf of a prodigious bigness is there called Manaty because that according to Oviedo's remarks it has only the fore-feet which by the Spaniards are in all Animals commonly called Hands In our Subject the Brachium and Cubitus were inclosed and lockt up under the Skin which covered the Breast and there was only the Paws which came outwards These Paws thus closed and contracted did not seem to us sufficient to serve the Female to imbrace her Young as Oppian reports that she do's when she carry's them to Sea They did likewise appear even as the hind-feet fitter for swiming than walking altho' in truth neither the one nor the other of these feet could well serve to walk conveniently Aelian has observed that the Females have a great care of carrying and frequently recarrying their Young Ones sometimes into the Sea and sometimes on Land it is probable that this is to teach them to Swim and walk by a long Exercise which produces a habit capable of supplying the conveniences which Nature has denyed them 'T is likely that Homer calls the Sea-Calves Nepodes by reason it may be said that they do Swim with Feet and walk with Fins and not because they have no Feet as Eustathius explains it These Feet had Claws which were not so necessary for swiming as they are for walking So that it seems that Nature who has made the Sea-Calf to live like the Castor on Land and in the Water has given Organs to each of these Animals to go with more or less ease according as it has designed them to be more generally in the one or other of these Elements for the Sea-Calf which is oftner in the Sea than on Land walks not with so much ease and facility as the Castor and the Castor Swims not so easily as the Sea-Calf because it goes into the Water only to catch Fish and makes not its common residence there For these very Reasons the Heart and Lungs of the Sea-Calf have a particular conformation to inable this Animal to continue a long time under Water without breathing as shall hereafter be explained but the Castor which stays not long in the Water has not this particular formation of the Heart at least we have not found it in the two Castors which we dissected the one whereof was of Canada the other of France The Head was not short and round as Rondeletius describes it and its Nose was long enough to make it resemble the Head of a Calf But the Eyes were not like those of a Calf which has them full and as it were standing out of the Head for those of our Subject were hid and as it were sunk into their Orbites whose upper Edge was not raised as it is in the Calf Nevertheless thesâ—… Eyes were large containing fifteen Lines Diameter There was an internal Eye-lidd to cover the Eye it was drawn up and hid in the great Canthus Over the Eyes there wanted those long Hairs which Rondeletius and Severinus do there place and it only had some at the sides of the Nose which were of a very peculiar Figure being square and flatted with knots from space to space and very close to one another as it is represented in the Figure Beyond the Eyes there were holes for the internal Ears as in Birds and there were no external ones Aristotle has observed that this is peculiar to the Sea-Calf which among all viviparous Animals is the sole one that has internal and no external Ears The whole skin was covered with a short Hair very like to that of the Land Calf Silvaticus dos â—…ill compare it to that of the Goat which is very long It s Colour was between a Gray and Yellow somewhat fainter towards the Belly than towards the Back which was chequered with Spots about the bigness of ones Nail of a dark-red Pliny reports that this Hair a long time after that the Skin has been flead retains such a simpathy with the Sea that it follows its motions and that sometimes it stares sometimes is smooth as the Sea swells or is abated by its flux and reflux Severinus declares that he had seen this Miracle but he expresses it with such excess that it is the less credible He says that when the North-wind blows the Hairs which were raised by the South-wind are not only laid but do wholly disappear Cardan affirms that this Property which had passed for Fabulous was found true in the Indies Experience has demonstrated to us that this Miracle is never seen at Paris For having kept and observed this Skin for several Months we found that the Hair was in all weathers of the same highth and situation The Skin was hard and thick Pliny says that it is impossible to kill the Sea-Calf but by breaking its Head. The Historians of the West-Indies do report that the Skin of the Manati being Tanned is above an inch thick and that thereof is made the Soles of Shooes The Teeth which were long and sharp in both the Jaws were very unlike to those of the Calf and do better resemble the Teeth of a Wolf. So that the Spaniards and Germans have reason to call this Animal the Sea Wolf. Besides the mild and heavie disposition of the Land-Calf has very little resemblance with that of the Sea-Calf which Naturalists report to be Crafty Bold and Couragious living on Rapine having the Industry of Assembling with its Kind to attack the greatest Fishes and strength enough to defend it self on Land against the Bear which is
has as yet been seen only by Amatus Lusitanus who has observed some of this Nature at the beginning of the Azygos and which he thought to serve to hinder the Bloud of the Azygos from returning into the Trunck of the Cava but this Conformation is extraordinary whatever this Author sayes who averr's himself to have seen it a thousand times because that all Anatomists with an unanimous consent do testifie and avow to have seen the contrary and never to have found Valves in the Veins whose Situation favoured not the Motion of the Bloud towards the Heart The Carotides having been opened long-ways it was observed that they had several Rays like transverse Cutts which interrupted the continuitie of the Fibres which are according to the length of the internal Membrane of this Artery which appeared to be made to knitt together these Fibres and to fortifie them even as it is seen in the Fibres of the right Muscle of the Belly which are so interrupted by the transverse lines that they are called Enervations It was searcht whether the same thing could be found in the Crural Artery but it was smooth and even and had not these Cutts The Globe of the Eye was an inch and a half in Diameter The Crystalline was more convex behind than before The Explication of the Figure of the Pintado THe Pintado which is represented in the lower Figure has no Tuft at the root of the Beak like that whose Head is represented in the upper Figure As to other particulars the Ten which we describe had all that is remarkable in this viz. the Tail turned downwards as it is in Partridges the Neck and Leggs longer than Partridges are the Feet provided with Membranes after the manner of Water-Fowl the Head covered with a Casque the top of the Beak garnished with two Appendices and the whole Plumage black or dark-gray Spekled with white Spotts In the Upper Figure A B. One of the Feathers of the Wing A is the part of the Wing which is uncovered B is that which is covered by another Feather C D. One of the Feathers of the Belly C the part of the Feather which covers the Down marked D. E F G. The Head almost as big as the life E the Tuft which grows out at the root at the Beak F. the Casque or Bonnet G The fleshy Beards g. The hole of the Ear. H H. The small Muscles of the Aspera Arteria I I. The Artery of the Lungs divided into two Branches K K. The Carotides the left of which seems to proceed immediately from the Heart L. The Cross or bending of the Aorta on the right side M N. The Heart N. The Right Auricle O O. The Liver P. The Gall-Bladder Q. The Ductus which conveys the Choler into the Intestine R. The Intestine S. The Ventricle or Gizard T T. The Venae Iliacae V. A single Testicle fastened to the Bifurcation of the Iliack Veins X X. The Emulgent Veines Y. The continuation of the Trunck of the Aorta beyond the Venae Iliacae a a. The Iliack Arteries which do serve for Emulgents b b. The Kidneys c c. The Ureters THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF TEN PINTADO'S THe Birds which we describe are a kind of Hen called Pintado by reason of the exactness of the Figures which seem as if Painted on its Plumage these figures not being irregular and as it were accidentally made as in the generality of other Birds Upon this very reason some of the Ancients made Choice of the Names which they have given to these Fowl For by Varro and Pliny they are called Variae and by Martial Guttatae by reason of the white Spots wherewith their whole body is diversified and Speckled as it were with several drops Their Eggs are likewise Painted and Chequered with white and black thus this sort of diversitie is a thing Natural and perpetual to these Birds which this particularity distinguishes from common Hens which in the Genus of Birds are almost the sole ones which have not the Plumage alwayes with the same Colours in their Species Hens being indifferently white black gray yellow or mixt with all these colours Other Authors have given to the Pintado's Appellations taken from the Country where they do generally breed which is Africa by calling them Hens of Africa Barbary Numidia Guinea Mauritania Tunis Pharos that is to say Aegypt Margravius reports that in the Kingdome of Congo it is called Quesele Pliny relates that they are also called Meleagrides because that according to the report of his time they went annually from Africa into Baeotia and come to beat themselves near the Tombe of Meleager whose Story feigns that the Sisters were changed into these Birds There are some which do think that the Meleagris is the Cocq-d'Inde or Turky-Cock which shall be examined in the Sequel The ten Pintado's whereof we have made the Dissection were of the size and almost the shape of an ordinary Hen. Some are of Opinion that they do better resemble the Partridge But the length of their Neck and Leggs which did even surpass that of the Neck and Leggs of Hens have made us to disapprove this Similitude We only found that they had the Tail bent down-wards like the Partridg and not held up like the Hen. But they have no Characteristick more particular of the Hen than the fleshy Appendices which do hang down on both sides of their Jaws which are not mett-with in any other Bird and which even in the Pintado have something different from those which are in Hens as shall hereafter be explained Their whole Plumage was only of two colours viz. White and Black. The White was every where perfectly White the Black was also in some places perfectly Black but in the most it was faint and inclining to a dark-Gray The top of the Neck instead of Feathers was only garnisht with a black Down which did better resemble Hair than Feathers These Hairs being about two lines long were turned upwards contrary to the ordinary situation of Hair and Feathers In one of our Subjects towards the hinder part of the Head these Hairs were almost an inch long and made as it were a Tuft The under part of the Neck had little dark-gray Feathers markt with White These Feathers went insensibly three inches in length and one in Breadth The half of these Feathers towards the root on both sides of the Quill or Stem was garnished with Beards or branchings like grayish white Down above half an inch long on each side Each Down or Beard was dissheivelled and divided as it were into several fine Locks or threads towards its extremity Near the Quill or Stem the roots of each beard were joyned together by the Crochets or little Fibres wherewith the Beards or branchings of the feathers which do serve for flight use to be fastened and which are described in the Ostrich The other half of these Feathers was composed of these same sort of Beards or Branchings which
Region is destitute For if there are a great many Birds which do never rise very high into the Air whose Lungs have notwithstanding these Bladders in which the Air is retained there are also a great many that have Wings which they use not for flying And it may be observed that there are found some parts in Animals which have not any use in certain Species and which are given to the whole Genus by reason that they have an important use in some of the Species 'T is thus that in several kinds of Animals the Males have Teats like the Females that Moles have Eyes Ostriches and Cassowars Wings and that Land-Tortoises have a particular Formation of the Vessels of the Heart which agrees only with Water-Tortoises as it is explained in the Description of the Tortoise However it be the structure of the Muscles of the Lungs of Birds gives occasion to believe that they do serve to this Retention because it is seen that the holes which they have to give entrance into the Pouches are most in the fleshy part of the Muscles which is capable of a voluntary Constriction and Relaxation And moreover this Retention of the Air is manifest in the Camelion which hath Lungs of a Structure like that of Birds For we have remark'd that the Camelion is somtimes swelled as it was ready to burst and continues a long time in this posture altho' the Reciprocation of the Respiration ceases not from going its usual pace as if by the means of these Muscles of the Lungs this Animal did retain the Air in some of the Bladders viz. in those whose Apertures are in the fleshy part of the Muscle and that in the others it leaves a free Egress and Entrance to the Air for Respiration In the middle of the two great Diaphragmes there was a Membrane which like a Mediastinum descended from top to bottom and which served for a Ligament to suspend the Heart Liver Ventricle and the rest of the parts of the lower Venter The Bladders of the Lungs were separable from the Diaphragmes and Muscles of the Lungs each having their particular Tunicle These Tunicles were joyned together making double and not single partitions The second Bladder had two holes The fourth descended not so low as in other Birds by reason that the Sternum being very small and consequently the Muscles of the lower Venter greater than ordinary this Bladder was not so necessary as in Birds which have the Sternum bigger which confirmes the opinion that we have of the use which we attribute to this fourth Bladder and which is explained in the Description of the Ostrich Now the Sternum was proportionably lesser than in the Ostrich because that the Muscles designed for the Motion of the Wings to which it gives rise were very small and proportioned to the Wings The Heart was an Inch and half long and an Inch broad towards its Basis. It s fleshy valve made a Sack that was but one Line deep The Tongue measured an Inch in length and eight Lines in breadth It was indented all round like a Cocks Combe Aldrovandus has said that the Cassowar has neither Wings nor Tongue instead of saying that these parts are of a structure altogether extraordinary in this Bird. The Globe of the Eye was very bigg in proportion to the Cornea being an Inch and half Diameter and the Cornea but three Lines The Crystalline was four The black Purse which proceeds from the Optick Nerve was as usually in other Birds In this Subject we applyed our selves exactly to remark what belongs to the internal Eye-lid which we have found in the Eyes of all Birds and in those of the generality of Terrestrial Animals The particularities of the admirable structure of this Eye-lid are such things as do distinctly discover the wisdom of Nature amongst a thousand others of which we perceive not the contrivance because we understand them only by the Effects of which we know not the Causes But we here treat of a Machine all the parts whereof are visible and which need only to be lookt upon to discover the Reasons of its Motion and Action This internal Eye-lid in Birds is a Membranous part which is extended over the Cornea when it is drawn upon it like a Curtain by a little Cord or Tendon and which is drawn back again into the great Corner of the Eye to uncover the Cornea by the means of the very strong Ligaments that it has and which in drawing it back towards their Origine do fold it up It made a Triangle when extended and it had the figure of a Crescent when folded up It s Basis which is its Origine was towards the great Corner of the Eye at the edg of the great Circle which the Sclerotica Forms when it is flatted before making an Angle with its Anteriour part which is flat and on which the Cornea is raised making a Convexitie This Basis which is the part immovable and fastned to the edg of the Sclerotica did take up more than a third of the Circumference of the great Circle of the Sclerotica The side of the Triangle which is towards the little corner of the Eye and which is moveable was reinforced with a border which supplys the place of the Tarsus and which is black in most Quadruped's This side of the Eye-lid is that which is drawn back into the Corner of the Eye by the Action of the Fibres of the whole Eye-lid which parting from its Origine proceed to joyn themselves to its Tarsus To extend this Eye-lid over the Cornea there were two Muscles that were seen when the six were taken away which served to the motion of the whole Eye We found that the greatest of these two Muscles has its Origine at the very edge of the great Circle of the Sclerotica towards the great corner from whence the Eye-lid takes its original It is very fleshy in its beginning which is a large Basis from whence coming insensibly to contract it self by passing under the Globe of the Eye like as the Eye-lid passes over it it approaches the Optick Nerve where it produces a Tendon round and slender so that it passes thro the Tendon of the other Muscle which serves for a Pully and which hinders it from pressing the Optick Nerve on which it is bent and makes an Angle to pass thro' the upper part of the Eye and coming out from underneath the Eye to insert it self at the corner of the Membrane which makes the internal Eye-lid This second Muscle has its Origine at the same circle of the Sclerotica but opposite to the first towards the little corner of the Eye and passing under the Eye like the other goes to meet it and imbrace its Tendon as it has been declared The Action of these two Muscles is in respect to the first to draw by means of its Cord or Tendon the corner of the internal Eye-lid and to extend it over the Cornea As to the
second Muscle its Action is by making its Tendon to approach towards its Origine to hinder the Cord of the first Muscle which it imbraces from hurting the Optick Nerve but its principal use is to assist the Action of the first Muscle And 't is herein that the Mechanisme is marvelous in this Structure which makes that these two Muscles joyned together do draw much farther than if it had but one For the inflexion of the Cord of the first Muscle which causes it to make an Angle on the Optick Nerve is made only for this end and a single Muscle with a strait Tendon had been sufficient if it had power to draw far enough But the Traction which must make the Eye-lid to extend over the whole Cornea being necessarily great it could not be done but by a very long Muscle and such a Muscle not being able to be lodged in the Eye all its length there was no better way than to supply the Action of a long Muscle by that of two indifferent ones and by bending one of them to give it the greater length in a little space The inspection of the Figure will serve greatly to the understanding of this Description which the novelty of the thing renders obscure in it self The use of this internal Eye-lid which till now has been described by no person is not determined Our Opinion is that it serves to clean the Cornea and to hinder that by drying it grow not less transparent Man and the Ape which are the sole Animals where we have not found this Eye-lid have not wanted this precaution for the cleansing their Eyes because that they have hands with which they may by rubbing their Eye-lids express the humidity which they contain and which they let out through the Ductus Lacrymalis which is known by experience when the sight is darkened or when the Eyes suffer any pain or itching For these Accidents do cease when the Eyes are rubbed But the Dissection has distinctly discovered to us the Organs which do particularly serve for this use and which are otherwise in Birds than in Man where the Ductus passes not beyond the Glandula Lacrymalis For in Birds it goes beyond and penetrating above half way on the internal Eye-lid it is opned underneath upon the Eye which is evidently done to spread a Liquor over the whole Cornea when this Eye-lid passes and repasses as we observed it to do every moment The Explication of the Figure of the TORTOISE THis Tortoise has several particularities which do render it different from those that we have in France It s shell is not flat but very convex It has but one Shell to cover its Back and Belly It s Tail is furnished with a Horn at the end Its Paws are not covered with Scales but with a Skin wrinkled like Spanish Leather Its Claws are not sharp but blunt and half worn away and its Jaws toothed like a Saw. In the Upper Figure A B C D. The right side of the Liver A. A little Lobe which covers the Bladder B. The Bladder C. The Trunk of the Vena Porta D. The right Ramus Hepaticus E F G. The left part of the Liver E. The left Ramus Hepaticus F. The Isthmus by which the left and right part of the Liver are joyned together G. The great Lobe of the left part of the Liver H H. The right Vena Cava I I. The left Vena Cava K. The Ductus Cysticus L. The Trunk of the Rami Hepatici M M. The Kidneys N N. The Venae Emulgentes to which are fastened two Glands O O. The Testicles P P. The Epididymides proceeding from the Kidney and fastened to the Testicles by little Ductus's Q Q. The Ureter's R R. The Bladder opned S. The Neck of the Bladder opned offering to the sight two Carunculae which are the extremities of the Ureter's and two others which are the extremities of the Deferentia T T. Two holes which are of the Origine at the Spongious Ligaments composing the body of the Penis V V. A large Muscle which includes the Rectum and Penis X X. Two other Muscles of the Penis which are interlaced with two others marked y y. Y. The extremity of the Glans Z. The great circular Appendix Δ. The little Appendix with its two Buttons Φ Φ. The extremity of the Rectum cut lengthwise to discover the body if the Penis Θ. An Aperture between the two Ligaments on which abutts the Neck of the Bladder φ. The Penis cut a cross to discover the Cavities of the two Ligaments marked ω ω and the Cavity which supplys the place of the Urethra marked Ï€. Ω Ω Ω Ω. The great Ductus's of the Lungs ξ ξ ξ. The Bladders opening into the Ductus's Λ Λ. The Auricles of the Heart seen on the side which touches the Back-bone 1. The Trunk of the left Vena Cava 2. The Trunk of the right Vena Cava 3. The Trunk of the Aorta at the going out of the Heart forming two Crosses 4. The left Aorta 5. The right Aorta 6. The conjunction of the two Aortas 7 7. The Carotides 8. The Artery of the Lungs 9 9. The Veins of the Lungs which are discharged into the Axillares 10. The Artery which goes to the Stomack 11. The Artery which goes to the Liver Pancreas Spleen c. 12. The Artery which goes to the Intestines 13. The Heart in its Natural Situation 14. The Anteriour Ventricle of the Heart 15. The Artery of the Lungs opened to shew its three Valvulae Sigmoides 16. 16. The Heart out of its Natural Situation being raised upwards and separated from its Auricles Λ Λ which are in their place 17. 18. The two Posteriour Ventricles of the Heart 19. The Aorta proceeding from the right Ventricle It is opened to represent its three Valvulae Sigmoides 20 20 20. The three Valvulae Sigmoides which are at the entrance of the Auricles of the Heart a b. Two holes which are the extremities of the Ductus by which the two Posteriour Ventricles do commnuicate c d. Two other holes which do make the Communication of the Posteriour left Ventricle with the Anteriour α α. The Cerebrum β. The Cerebellum γ γ. The Olfactory Nerves δ. The Medulla Spinalis ε ε. The Musculi Crotaphitae cut θ θ. The Os Occipitis χ. The Cartilaginous Plate oâ—… Film which stops the hole of the Ear. Ï„. A Ductus which descends into the Palate κ. The Plate or Film sustained by the â—…ony Stylus marked â—… THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF A GREAT INDIAN TORTOISE THis Tortoise was brought from the Indies it was taken on the Coast of Coromandel It was four Foot and a half long from the extremity of the Mouth to the end of the Tail and fourteen Inches thick The Shell contained three Foot in length and two in breadth How great soever this Tortoise was it came not near those of which Elian and Pliny do speak which were fifteen Cubits and every one of
The exactness with which the Glottis is closed in this Animal seems greatly to assist the effect of this compression even as it is credible that it is for such an use that the Bladders of Fishes are so closed that what force soever be used for the Compressing them the Air cannot be got out otherwise than by bursting them For there is no likelyhood that these Bladders are in Fishes to remain always in one State They would hurt them as much in hindering them from descending in the Water as they would assist them by making them to rise towards its Surface and for this purpose it would have sufficed that their body was of a Substance thin enough to render their bulk proportioned to their weight such as is the Substance of Wood and other Spongious Bodys which do Swim upon the Water We have for a long time observed Tortoises floating upon the Water without stirring Fishes do likewise keep themselves a long while in one place under Water somtimes near the bottom of the Water somtimes near its Surface The little Figures of Enamel do thus stop themselves in different places according to the different Compressions that are made in the Air which they do contain Aristotle and Pliny have remarkt that when Tortoises have been a long time upon the Water during a Calm it happens that their shell being dryed in the Sun they are easily taken by the Fishermen by reason that they cannot plung into the Water nimbly enough being become too light This shews what equality there ought to be in their Equilibrium seeing that so little a change as this which may happen by the sole drying of the Shell is capable of making it useless For it is probable that the Tortoise which is always careful to keep it self in this Equilibrium so as other Animals are to keep themselves on their Leggs in this case by the same instinct dares not let the Air out of its Lungs to acquire a weight which might makeit speedily to sink because it fears that its Shell being wett it should become so heavy that it being sunk to the bottom of the Water it might never have power afterwards to re-ascend Now the Observation of the unmoveableness of the Lungs does very well agree with the want of the Organs which might serve for its Motion for the Tortoise has not only its Shell which supplys the place of the Sternum absolutely immoveable but in it we have found neither Diaphragme nor other parts which might supply this Motion The Bone of the Arm called Humerus which it has enclosed in the Breast has a very long Apophysis at the place of the Articulation of the Cubitus which is joyned with an other Bone articulated to the Cubitus So that these Bones do joyntly form two productions on each side which approaching forward are like Claviculae But these parts are immoveable and do evidently serve only for a Basis or Origine to the Muscles which do supply the place of Pectorals and which draw forward the moveable part of the Arm viz. the Cubitus Radius and Hand There were found Muscles enough that might serve for the Compression of the Lungs but Muscles alone are not proper to its dilatation there must be the Ribbs and a Sternum or somthing Analogus that may be moveable So that it is apparently necessary to suppose that the Inspiration is made by the Spring of the hard and firm Ligaments which compose the Mashes that have been described Insomuch that when the Muscles which may compress the Lungs begin to slacken these Ligaments are extended and enlarging the Apertures of all the Bladders do encrease the capacity of the whole Lungs Altho' our Tortoise was not of those that live in the Water it did not fail in regard to this particular formation of the Heart and Lungs to have it like that of the Animals of its Species as several Birds are observed to have Wings tho' they do not fly The Brain was very small For the size of the Head which in proportion to the rest of the Body is very small consisted principally in the Bones of the Cranium and in the Flesh of the Crotaphitae Muscles that covered it and which were thick as in the Lyon The Bone of the Crown of the Head having a crest after the manner of all Animals that have an extraordinary strength in the Jaws The Cerebrum with the Cerebellum were in all sixteen Lines long and nine Lines broad The Sea-Tortoises which are taken at the Ant-iles have it three times lesser in proportion For according to the Relations which we have of those Countries the Tortoises which have there a Head as bigg as that of a Calf have the Brain no bigger than a Bean. The Membranes of these two parts their Substance the Lacis Choroides the Glandula Pinealis the Pituitarius the Infundibulum and generality of the Nerves were after the same manner as they are seen in Birds The other parts had somthing particular The Olfactory Nerves were of an extraordinary grandure making near the fourth part of the whole Brain The Optick Nerves took their Origine from the Olfactory The two Tuberosities that the Cerebellum has in Birds instead of being fastned to the lateral parts of the Medulla Spinalis were in its upper part The Cerebellum was neither furrowed by parrallel Lines on the out side nor diversified on the inside by the different Colours of its Substance which represent the Branches of Trees and its Cavity was advanced very farr into the Medulla Spinalis going even to the first Vertebra of the Neck The Medulla Spinalis was covered with its vsual Membranes and moistned by several Vessels which did accompany it to its End It filled the whole Cavity of the Vertebrae and sent from one part and the other several pair of Nerves Those which were distributed to the Arms leggs Neck and Tail were very large and Numerous The Globe of the Eye was an Inch Diameter The Internal Eye-lidd which we have seen stirr in living Tortoises had the same Muscles which we have observed in Birds The Cornea was very thinn The Aqueous Humour had a Consistence so thick that it did hardly run The Iris was of a light-soot-Colour There were seen several Vessells interlaced In the little Tortoises that we have here which are all water Tortoises the Iris had four yellow rayes on a ground of light soot-Colour These rayes were disposed in Crosses round the hole of the Uvea The Chrystallinus contain'd but one line Diameter It was flat and lenticular The Membrane made like a black purse which is found in the Eyes of Birds was not met with in our Subject The Tongue whose Figure was Pyramidal had an Inch in length and four lines in Bredth It was thinn not exceeding a line the fleshy substance of which made but the half The Tunicle had over it a great number of little Teats The Tongue with the Os Hyoides had Ten Muscles five on
H. Hâ—…liaetos 184. Hedge-hog 147. 152. Herisson 152. Hen of Africa Barbary Numidia Guinea Mauritania Tunis and Pharos 175. Hinde of Sardinia 167. 170. Hyaena 101. Hystrix 147. K. Kemas 55. 142 L. Lamantin 125. Lion. 3. 9. Lionness 13. Lupus Cervarius 75. Lynx 77. M Manati 121. Meleagris 175. Mituporanga 191. Mondi 115. Monkey 157. O. Ostrich 217. Otis 198. Otter 93. Otus 206. P. Pintado 175. Phoca 120. Porcupine 147. Q. Quesele 175. R. Rupicapra 142. S. Sapajou 157. Scharbo 133. Scops 206. Stag of Canada 167. Strepsiceros 53. 142. T. Tortoise 252. W. Sea-Wolfe 122. Y. Y Sere Vercken 152. ERRATA P. 5. l. 48. r. measured p. 13. l. 12. r. splitt at the end l. 26. r. a Cartilage p. 20. l. 2. r. resembled p. 40. l. 28. r. Urethra l. 30. r. heart l. 37. dele usually p. 44. l. 4. r. for p. 47. l. 36. r. each of the Kidneys p. 48. l. ult r. visual p. 55. l. 41. r. dugs p. 57. l. 28. r. irregular l. 33. dele great p. 62. l. 11. r. in proportion to its p. 70. l. 23. r. left side p. 71. l. 26. add after Ventricle on the out side of the Liver p. 78. l. 33. dele as p. 8â—… l. 37. dele caused l. 38. r. Urethra p. 100. l. 1. for cut r. knawn l. 17. add than p. 101. l. 47. r. out of p. 110. l. 40. r. seller p. 11â—… l. 36. r. Inch and halfe p. 114. l. 14. r. left p. 116. l. 28. for Gula r. Mouth p. 164. l. 6. r. Ossa ilia in p. 176. l. 18. r. insensibly increasing till they became three c. l. 39. r. on p. 182. l. 7. r. Toe p. 186. l. 17. r. Craw. p. 192. l. 45. r. on p. 193. l. 32. r. happens to these Coates p. 217. l. 29. dele some p. 231. l. 8. for Diaphragme right r. right Diaphragme p. 244. l. 5. dele by running p. 264. l. 7. r. shutt AN INDEX OF MATTERS CHIEFLY ANATOMICAL A AE Gritudo fastigii a Disease peculiar to Lyons what it is according to Pliny 5 Air 's use in respiration 179 Air why retained in the Bladders of the Lungs in Birds 246 Alâ—…e of the Ancients our Elke 107 Amber yellow thought to be Pintado's tears 177 Antilope Strepsiceros and Dorcas the same Animals 34 Antilope and Hare have Bags filled with a Substance like Wax in the Groin 55 Anus of the Castor has no Sphincter 85 Aorta in Birds how divided at its comeing forth of the Heart 210 Aorta descends on the right side in Birds 236 Apes not so like Man inwardly as outwardly 159 Apes wherein different from Man. ib. Apes provided with all the Organs of Speech 163 Aqueous Humour of the Eye Freezes not 66 Aspera Arteria In the Lyon consists of intire Rings 6 In the Cametion of intire Rings 20 In the Bear of imperfect ones but larger than in the Lyon. 48 In the Elke of imperfect Rings 111 In the Cormorant of intire Rings 137 In the Porcupine of imperfect Rings 151 In the Bustard of intire ones 202 In the Demoiselle intire and Boney 209 In the Ostrich of intire Rings 231 Enters into the Sternum of the Indian-Cock 194 And of the Demoiselle 210 Is fastned by round Muscles to the Sternum in Birds generally 180 Being blown into the Bladders of the Lungs the Craw and Oesophagus are swelled up 210 Auricle left bigger than the right in the Castor 89 B Balls in the Ventricles of Animals how made 143 Barbary Cow has a small forehead 127 thought to be the Bubalus of the Ancients 128 Beard-Hairs common to all Carnivorous Animals 100 In the Sea-Calfe of a particular Figure 122 Beak of the Cassowar and Indian-Cock divided into three at the end 243 Bear most powerful of any Animal in the faculty of growing 49 She Bear after Cubbing eats nothing for 40 Days 49 Cubbs of the Bear smalest in comparison of all Creatures ib Bear very strong of digestion ib Beaver's inside very much like a Dogg 89 Bezoar's in the Maw of the Chamois 143 Bellows made use of to blow up the Lungs and keep the Animal alive 261 Birds have a Membrane like an Epiploon 185 have a fleshy Valve at the Mouth of the Vena Cava in the Heart 210 After what manner the Aorta is divided 236 How they trimm their feathers 219 Bird of Paradise falsly thought footless 221 Bladders in the lower belly of Birds blown up by the Lungs 179 How fill'd and emptied of wind 235 Bladder Urinary in the Porcupine has two Coats 151 In the Lyon very small 14 Filled with Urine in the Ostrich 227 In small Water-Tortoises near the Rectum 257 In the Tortoise fibrous like the inside of the Heart ib Bone between the Cerebrum and Cerebellum in Carnivorous Animals 125 Bone in the Staggs Heart 169 Bonnet on the Pintado's Head. 177 Brain in the Bear 4 times as bigg as the Lyons 46 In the Chatpard deeply cut in at the Falx 65 In the Dromedary six Inches and a half long 41 In the Gazella without Anfractuositieâ—… 59 Of the Lyon 2 inches large 7. 8 In the Camelion not near so bigg as the Globe of the Eye 26 In the Sea-Fox very little soft and flabby 72 Not easily distinguishable from the Cerebellum in the Castor 90 Large in the Chamois 144 In the Lynx the Cortical part white and solid 79 In the Porcupine like an Hoggs 151 In Apes like a Mans. 162 In the Ostrich small in proportion 236 Brain is usually smooth without Sinuosities in Birds 237 In Birds divided in two as is well known to Mountebanks 237 In Birds has the Cortical part ten times bigger in proportiont han in Men. ib Branches of the Emulgents terminate at the superficies of the Kidney 10 Bristles and Quills of the Porcupine described 147 C Caecum wanting in the Bear. 46. 49 In the Gazella 7 Inches long 59 In the Castor on the left side under the Spleen 88 Wanting in the Coati Mondi 117 Without an Appendix in the Linx 78 In the Elk 13 inches long 111 In the Barbary-Cow eighteen inches long 128 Wanting in the Cormorant and Haliaetos 136 In the Chamois 8 inches long 144 In the Porcupine very large 150 Wanting in the Hedg-hog 153 In the Monkey has no Appendix 160 In the Stag ten Foot long 169 Two in the Pintado 179 Wanting in the Male Eagle and two small ones in the Female 186 Double in the Bustard being a Foot long 201 In the Demoiselle 6 inches long 208 In the Ostrich like the Sea-Fox 226 Wanting in the Cassowar 245 Wanting in the Tortoise 255 A third Caecum in the Bustard at Fabricius's Purse 201 Callosity's on the Sternum and joynts of the Dromedary's Legs 38 Callosity's on the Sternum of the Ostrich and Cassowar 243 Camelion why so called 17 has a peculiar manner of breathing 18 Is exceeding lean 18. 23. 27 has a very short Neck 20 feeds on Flyes 28 has no Organs of Hearing
230 scarce to be found in the Demoiselle 207 In the Castor two Inches ½ long 89 In the Coati-mondi between the two upper lobes of the Liver 117 large in Eagles differently annected in the different Subjects 187 fastned to the left side in the Indian-Cock 192 Generative parts in the Civet-cat concealed 101 of Male Apes different from Men and Dogs 161 of Female Apes like Women in some particulars ib Gizzard wanting in the Cormorant 136 In the Indian-cock covered with a brittle Coat on the inside 193 In the Demoiselle like an Hens 208 wanting in the Cassowar tho' a graniverous Animal 244 possibly supplyed by the many Ventricles in the Cassowar 245 Glands in the Eagles Craw. 186 In the Indian-cock's Craw. 193 In the Bustard's Oesophagus 200 In the Demoiselles Craw. 208 discharging a Lympha into the mouth of the Demoiselle 211 In the Pancreas of the Ostrich quite separated and distinct 231 In the Craw of the Bustard most distinct of any 244 Glandula Lacrymalis in the Elke an Inch and halfe long 110 swelled by syringing into its Ductus in the Demoiselle 211 Glandula Pinealis in the Dromedary composed of three others 41 In the Chaâ—…pard no bigger than a Pin. 65 In the Lynx very small 79 In the Lyon diaphanous and small 6 In the Civet-cat no bigger than a Pins head 103 In the Elke very big 112 In the Sea-calfe large 125 In the Chamois a Line diameter 145 generally very small in Fierce and Cruel Creatures and very large in Fearful ones 112 Glottis in the Camelion transverse 26 In the Tortoise exactly closed 264 H Hair of the Beaver without cavitys 83 of two sorts in some Animals and why ib of the Civet-Cat darker on the Belly and Throat than else where contrary to other Animals 100 of the Elke spongy and porous like Rushes 109 of the Sea-Calve's Skin not altered by the weather 122 Head of the Ape has no Apophysis Mastoides 163 of all Birds proportionably small 222 of a Tortoise being cutt off stirred its Jaws for half an hour 254 Heart of the Lyon bigger than other Beasts 6 of a Dromedary large 40 of the Castor has the left Auricle bigger than the right and the Foramen Ovale not discernable 89 of the Elke seaven Inches long and five thick 111 of the Coati like a Dogs the right Ventricle being larger 117 of the Gazella 4½ and 2½ Inches 59 of the Sea-Fox without Pericardium but such a Membrane encompast the Aorta 72 of the Lynx like a Catts 79 of the Civet-Catt like a Dogs 103 of the Chamois has a Callous Apophysis 144 of the Stag and Hinde large 170. 171 of the Indian-Cock small 194 of the Tortoise has three Ventricles and is largest from side to side 259 Heart and Lungs how formed in Amphibious Animals ib Heart and Liver of the Ostrich included together in one Cavity 232 of the Pintado described 180 Heart's motion in the Tortoise 262 Heart of the Sea-Calfe described 124 differs much from the Castors 121 In Birds has no Valves in the Vena Cava 236 In Bruites more pointed than in Men. 162 Hedg-hog's Skins used Anciently for Brushes 153 Hens almost the only Birds that vary their Colours 175 Hepatici-ductus two as many Pancreatici and one Cysticus in the Indian-Cock 192. 193 Hole of the Ear wanting in the Camelion 21 uncovered in Pintados but small 178 Hornes of the Antilope and Sheep described 54 of the Canada-Stag described 167 of Bruites how nourisht 168 Horny Crest on the Cossowar's Head. 243 Hyaena of Aristotle our Civet-Cat 100. 104 Hypogastricks send Branches to the Scent-Bags in the Civet-Cat 101 I Iaws of the Tortoise strongest of all Animals 254 Iejunum and Ileum short in the Porcupine 150 Internal Eyelids their structure and use 248 In all Animals but Men and Apes 249 towards the lesser corner in the Chamois 142 Intestines of the Dromedary very long 40 In the Elke 48 foot long 111 In the Stag 96 foot long 169 In the Hinde 40 foot long 171 In the Coati-Mondi 7 foot long 117 In the Barbary-Cow 78 foot long 128 In the Chamois 40 foot long 144 In the Civet-Cat short 103 In the Cormorant 7 foot long all of a size 136 of the Indian-Cock 12 foot long 193 of the Bustard 4 foot long 201 In the Demoiselle 6 foot long 208 In the Ostriches of very different lengths 226 longest in Animals that feed on grass 169 In the Bear all of one sort 46 Intestine of a Sea-fox has a spiral membrane in its middle 71 Ivy apt to grow where Stags-Hornes have been buryed 169 K Kidneys of the Bear divided into several Glands 46 of Birds commonly large 187 In the Canada-Stag large without a Succenturiatus 170 In the Civet-Cat the right higher and fastned by a duplicature of the Peritonaeum as in Man. 103 right higher in the Coati-Mondi 117 In the Cormorant toothed like a Cocks-Comb 137 In the Gazella almost round 59 In the Indian-Cock of conglomerated Glands 194 In the Lynx of a longish figure 79 In the Ostrich not cut into three like other fowle 231 In the Otter separated like the Bears 95 Those of the Oviparous Animals described 137 In the Sea-Calfe like the Land-Calf 123 L Lachryma Cervi what 169 Lachrymalis ductus goes farther than the Glands in Birds not in Men. 249 Larynx of the Sea-Calfe contrived for eating under Water 123 Leggs of Eagles why feathered 184 of the Tortoise very short 254 Ligamentum Ciliare its use 49 Ligaments in the Elkes Legs very strong 109 Liver in the Ape consists of five Lobes like a Dog not as in Man. 159 and spotted with hexagonal spots as in Bruits 160 In the Barbarian-Cow without lobes 129 In the Bustard very large 199 In the Canada-Stag and Hinde without Lobes 170 In the Castor of five Lobes 89 In the Cat-a-mountain of glands and has 6 Lobes 63 In the Civet-Cat of 5 great and one small Lobe 103 In the Demoiselle very large 207 In the Gazella made up of small glands 56 In the Coati-mondi without any appearance of glands 117 In the Elke without Lobes and joyned to the Diaphragme 111 In the Lynx seven Lobes and like a Cats 78 In the Ostrich of two Lobes 230 In the Otter of 6 Lobes 95 In the Pintado of two Lobes 179 In the Porcupine and Hedg-Hog of seven Lobes 150. 15â—… In the Sea-Calfe of 6 Lobes 123 In the Sea-Fox of two Lobes 71 In the Tortoise double 255 Lungs reduced to three Species 260 And Heart how formed in Amphibious Animals 259 In the Ape of 7 Lobes Man but 4. 162 In the Barbary-Cow of 7 Lobes 129 Those of the Cassowar and so of Birds in general described 246 In the Chat-pard of 7 great and one small Lobe 67 In the Civet-Cat of 6 Lobes 103 In the Elke of 7 Lobes 111 In the Coati-mondi of 5 Lobes 117 In the Chamois of 8 Lobes 144 In the Gazella of 6 Lobes 59 In the Lynx
Substances in the Gizzard of the Ostrich worn not corroded 225 Structure of the Hands and Feet described 43 Succenturiatus very large in the Porcupine 150 Sweet-Smells unpleasant to Country People 104 T Tail of the Castor like a Fish's 85. 90 of Birds of what use 220 of the Tortoise very strong 254 Talons of the Bustard solid 198 Two Teats in the Barbary-Cow 127 Teeth of the Sea-Colf like a Wolf 's 122 of the Sea-Fox two rows on one side and but one on the other 70 Testicles of the Coati like a Dog. 117 of the Eagle as small as a Pea. 187 In a Female Demoiselle but without Epididymis 209 of the Hedg-Hog in the Belly 153 of some Monkeys long and slender of others round 161 Thighs of the Ostrich very large 223 Toes but three in the Bustard 198 but two in the Ostrich 223 and the little one without Claw ib Thorax of a Bear larger than a Lyons 45 Tongue of a Camelion of an extraordinary make c. 27. 30 of a Cassowar like a Cock's-comb 248 of a Cormorant double 137 of a Dromedary has asperitys that turn outwards 40 of an Eagle Cartilaginous 187 of an Ostrich a little forked 222 of a Porcupine toothed 149 of a Sea-Calf forked 123 of the Tortoise has ten Muscles 266 of the Woodpecker how thrust out 30 Tortoise has no upper Eye-lid 254 wants the outward Ear-hole yet has the Sense of Hearing 266 alters his bulk in the Water proved by an Experiment 264 Tuft on the top of the Ear of the Lynx peculiar to that Animal 76 Tusk of the Coati sharp like an awl 116 V Valve in the trunk of the Vena-cava 89 In the Porta of the Barbary-Cow favouring Dr. Glissons Hypoth 129 In the Iugulars contrary to the motion of the Blood to the Heart 172 Vein goes to the Papilla of the Gazella without sending forth any Branches but disapears at once 59 Vena Cava has two trunks in the Tortoise 259 Gastrica Branches over the Stomach 62 Vena Lactea and Receptaculum Chyli very white and visible in the Hedg-Hog 153 Ventricle of Apes differs from Man's in the Pylorus 160 four in the Barbary-Cow 128 In the Bear very small 45 In the Castor like a Dogs 88 four in the Cassowar 194 In the Cormorant glandulous within 136 three in the Chamois 143 four in the Dromedary 39 four in the Elke like an Ox. 111 two in the Gazella 57 four in the Hinde 171 of the Lynx like a Catts 78 two in the Parrot 201 divided into 3 in the Porcupine 149 but two visible in the Stag. 169 In the Sea-Calfe like an Intestine 123 Longish in the Sea-fox 70 and Liver and bladder very large in the Tortoise 255 three in the heart of the Tortoise open into one another 259 Voracious animals have small Intestines 186 Vpper-lip of the Chamois cleft as in Hares 142 Of the Elke very large 109 Vpper Eye-lid of the Tortoise wanting 254 Vitreous humours of the Indian Cock hard 194 Uterus of the Gazella has several Papillae on the inside 59 of the Lynx like a Bitches 79 Of the Monkey different from Women 161 Uvea covered by a thin transparent Membrane 188 Uvula only in Apes or Men. 162 W Wings of the Bustard short in comparison of its bulk 197 and Back darkest part of the Bird. 198 Of Birds reckoned a wonder of Nature by Iob. 218 described 2â—…0 FINIS 28. Octobris 1687. Imprimatur Liber iste cui Titulus The Measure of the Earth John Hoskyns V. P. R. S. THE MEASURE OF THE EARTH BEING An Account of several OBSERVATIONS made for that Purpose by divers MEMBERS of the Royal Academy of SCIENCES at PARIS Translated out of the French by Richard Waller Fellow of the ROYAL SOCIETY LONDON Printed by R. Roberts And are to be Sold by T. Basset at the George near Temple-Bar I. Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons over against the Royal Exchange I. Southby at the Harrow in Cornhil and W. Canning in the Temple MDCLXXXVIII THE MEASURE OF THE EARTH ARTICLE I. THE attempt to determine the Magnitude of the Earth is not new Many ancient Authors have made themselves famous by this enquiry But the most memorable Attempt for this purpose was that of the Arabians thus Recorded by their Geographer A great Circle on the Earth is divided into 360 parts as we also suppose those in the Heavens Ptolomy Author of the Almagest and many other of the Ancients have observed what space upon the Earth contains one of these 360 Parts or Degrees and have found it to contain 66â…” Miles Those which succeeded them willing to satisfie themselves by their own experience met by the order of Almamon in the Plains of Sanjar and having taken the height of the Pole they divided into two Troops the one marching as directly as was possible towards the North and the other towards the South till the one found the Pole one Degree more and the other one Degree less elevated then meeting again at their first station to compare their Observations they found the one had computed 56â…” Miles but the other just 56. but they agreed to account 56â…” for one Degree so that between the Observations of the Ancients and of these Moderns there is a difference of 10 Miles Now Ptolomy having establish'd the bigness of a Degree 500 Stadia for which the Arabs account 66â…” Miles it follows that the Arabian Mile was equal to 7½ Stadia but we are to seek what Stadium Ptolomy means for if it were the Greek eight of which made one ancient Italian Mile the proportion of the Arabick Mile so the Italian will be as 15 to 16 and consequently the 56â…” Miles found in a Degree by the Arabs will make but 53 â—… old Italian Miles But if more favourably to the Arabs we suppose which is most likely that the 500 Stadia of Ptolomy were the Alexandrian bigger than the Grecian according to the proportion commonly received of 144 to 125 we shall find that the Degree measured by the Arabs was 61½ Italian Miles which makes 47188 Toyses of Paris supposing that the old Roman Foot the same which Father Ricciolus after Vilalpandus would have established it was to that of Paris as 667 to 720. though the Roman Foot of which the Module is to be seen in the Capitol is to the same Parisian Foot but as 653 to 720. or thereabouts 'T is very remarkable that anciently the measure of the Earth was always upon the diminishing For if we will believe Aristotle or the most part of the Mathematicians of his time according to his report a Degree was about 1111 Stadia whereas Eratosthenes counted but 700. Possidonius 666 and in fine Ptolomy 500. In like manner the Arabs following the same example make a Degree less than all that preceded them But without entering upon the determination whether these Opinions are so different as they appear