Micrographia Restaurata, & c

PLATE III. FIG. 3. Hair of an Indian Deer

F Exhibits the Middle Part of the Hair of an Indian Deer, and G the Top or Extremity of the same Hair,

Hair of an Indian Deer.

both magnified by the same Glass ; whereby is shewn how extremely tapering these Hairs are formed, which indeed was observable by the naked Eye ; for though in the Middle it was thicker than an Hog's Bristle, it was slenderer at the End than the Hair of any other Animal. The whole Belly of it was two or three Inches long, and appeared to the Eye like a Thread of coarse Can- vas that has newly been unravelled, being all bent or waved to and fro, in the Manner of such a Thread : But seen through the Microscope, it seemed all perforated from Side to Side, and spongy ; and resembled a small Kind of spongy Coral, found frequently on the Coasts of England. When cut transversely, no Pores could be discerned running the long Way of the Hair.

The Hairs of different Animals are curious Objects for the Microscope. In some transverse, in other spinal Lines, somewhat of a darker Colour, run from Bottom to Top, in a very pretty Manner. A Mouse's Hairs are of this Sort : They appear as it were in Joints like the Back-Bone, are not smooth, but jagged on the Sides, and terminate in the sharpest Point imaginable. Hairs taken from a Mouse's Belly are least opake, and fittest for Examination

Microscope made easy, p. 245.

Hairs taken from the Head, the Eye-Brows, the Nostrils, the Beard, the Hand, and other Parts of the Body, appear unlike, as well in the Roots as in the Hair themselves, and vary as Plants do of the same Genus, but of different Species. They all become lengthened by Propulsion, and are thicker towards the Middle than at either End.

PLATE III. FIG. 4. A pretty minute Shell found amongst Sand

THIS Shell appeared to the naked Eye like a white Spot, no bigger than the Point of a Pin ;

A minute Shell found amongst Sand.

but when viewed by the Microscope, it was found in every Particular to resemble the flat spiral Shell of a Water Snail, and had twelve Wreath- ings, a, b, c, d, e, &cc. all diminishing gradually towards the Middle or Center, where there was a very small, round, white Spot. 'Twas not easy to discover whether it was hollow or not, but it rather seemed to be filled with somewhat, and probably might be petrified, as larger Shells are often.

The Object under Observation informs us of another Genus, where the Almighty Hand of the Maker is amazingly exemplified in the Minuteness and Elegance of the Work : For we find hereby that the same Power which contrived such minute Infects as Mites, such minute Fishes as the Eels in Vinegar, and such minute Vegetables as Moss and Mouldiness, has likewise formed a Tribe of such minute Shells as this be- fore us ; the Beauty of which could never have been discovered without the Micro- scope's Assistance. It was found, accidentally, amongst some White-sand that was looked at with no other Design than to try the Goodness of some Glasses : But many valuable Discoveries have been owing to lucky Accident.