Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 014.djvu/178

Rh comes often to be broke off, the Trunk of it still remaining in the skin. When new matter is supplyed, another hair grows by the side of the former, that was broken; and this so often till there comes sometimes to be 8.10.20. or 36. in a bundle. Yet this number is not made up in 1. or 2. years, but probably in a great many.

The reason of this my conclusion, is grounded upon the bluntness of the tops of all the hairs found in these worms, whereas all the other hairs growing upon the face are sharp-pointed, till such time as they come to be broken.

In the year 1674. I writ to Mr. Oldenburg that I found the Cuticula, or uppermost skin of a body to consist of round Particles or Scales: I also gave him my Opinion, how this skin was made, and how the upper part of it was worn off, and the under part to succeed in its place.

Since that time there was little difference in what I observed, until now of late, that I have made use of another way. For at first I saw by a common Microscope the parts of the Scales appearing to the Eye as they were round, lying close in order, and so small that a sand would cover 200, or 250, of them, as is here shewn in Fig. H. But examining them since, by a Glass which magnified more, I am satisfied that they are not made out at the grosser part of the moisture or sustance which is evaporated out of the body, as I formerly thought, but are meer Scales, such as grow upon the outward skin of a fish, and are called fish-scales.

These Scales lye upon our body just as they do upon fishes, the most part of them are guingue-lateral, the figure of a whole one is here shewn by a magnifying Glass at K the side O. P. was falt'ned to the skin, and is not so broad as if it be measured higher. Some of the Scales were not so long as K. and some had not the sides so even, but these last I took to be pulled off the body before they were fully grown. They are very thin, for I judge their bredth is above 25 times more than their ness