Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 002.djvu/133

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In short, He makes Respiration to be a Motion of the Thorax and Lungs, whereby the Air is sometimes implled by the Nose, Mouth and Wind-pipe into the Lungs; and thence again expelled, farther to elaborate the Blood, by Refrigerating it, and by seperating its fuliginous steams, and so raise it to its ultimate and highest perfection, for the Conservation of the Life of Animals.

Notice may be taken here by the by, that this Author in his Preface promises the publishing of a Treatise about Insects, in which he ingages to shew many wonderfull things in those little and seemingly contemptible Creatures, and in particular to demonstrate to the Eye the very method and manner how a Caterpillar is transmuted into a Chrysalis or Aurelia: By performing of which, he hopeth, he shall make the Curious bear more easily the loss of Dr. Harvey's Treatise on that Subject.

III. Observations faites sur un GRAND POISON, & un LION, dissequés dans la Bibliotheque du Roy à Paris, le 24. & le 28. Juin, 1667,

This Great Fish, dissected by the Parisian Philosophers, was a Vulpecula Marina (a Sea-fox:) in which they observ'd;

First, The length of his Tail, equalling very near the whole length of the rest of his body (the whole Fish being 8½ feet long) and fashioned after the manner of a Sithe, bowed and turned up toward the belly.

Secondly, His Mouth was armed with two sorts of Teeth; One sort, in the upper Jaw, being pointed, hard and firm, and of one only bone, in the manner of a Saw: the other sort, found in the rest of the upper, and in the whole under-Jaw, were moveable, and fastned by fleshly membranes.

Thirdly, His Tongue did altogether adhere to the lower jaw, and its skin was hard and covered with little shining points, which rendred it very rough and scabrous one way. The points viewed with a Miscroscope, appeared transparent like Chrystal.

Fourthly, His Throat was very large, and the Oesophagus, as large as his Maw; concerning which Authors say, that he hath the dexterity of disengaging himself from the swallowed hook, by casting it up together with his Maw, the inside of it turned out. They

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