Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-07-10

scope or Tue telescope has introduced the
most wonderful facts to our notice. If the
telescope has brought us acquainted with
vast bodies which we had not previously
conceived to exist, and thus ungneasurably
extended our conceptions Of the ~yastnesa
OF the universe, and the power of its Crea-
tor, it 10 no less true that the microscope.
though, perhaps, with less imposing PR
tensions, has laid open to lis most unex.
pected revelations of the wisdom, the power,
and the providence OF the Almighty, By
discovering to Ia innumerable orders Of
living beings, endowed with nu;Aerous ca
pacities, and provided with ample means
Of enjoyment.
An example which partially j~llustra tea
this last remark sssupp!ied in n single drop
OF water as it appears through q micro.
scope, peopied with various species Of
mlnut animals called oni,aeica(es, Of the
habits Of some Of which we purpose to
give a brief account. I. may be observed
in general Of the microscopic orde,s of ami.
mails, that the smallest which have ever
come under notice have been discovered in
water. Not that We may infer from this
that there ore not creatures Of equally d.
t~1inutIve size intabiting the ais, Or creep.
ing upon the earth I; the reason is simply
that, from the Transparency of water, and
from Its combining the creatures in it, we
Gun more easily bring the assistance Of The
microscope to bear on the examination of
them.
Of these, indeed Of all animated beings,
the n'onas is the most simple. The ter1ao
is the most minute creature Of this genus,
being so extremely delicate and transpa-
rent as often to. eluae the highest magnify
ing powers, and seeming to blend with the
water in which it swims. Another and
very minute class of ani,naicuies is that
which has been termed by Mr.. Baker the
halrllke insect, on account Of its shape, be.
ing extremely slender, and frequently a
hundred and fifty times hs long as it is
broad.
These creatures are SO small, that mil.
lions Of millions Of them might be contain
ed in the space Of a square inch. Yet low
in the scale of being rs they may appear
to stand, owing both TO their extreme mi
nutencss and the simplicity Of their struc-
ture, even these, in common with those or.
ders OF inferior animals with which we are
more ordinarily conversant, exhibit indiea-
tons Of sagacity, and Of the formation of
habits. They seem, for example, TO be
fond of society ; for, after viewing for some
time a quantity Of them taken up at ram
dom, the ohserver will see them ~dispnsing
themselvee in a kind of regular order. III
a multitude Of them are put into a jar of
water, they will form themselves into a
regular body, and ascend slowly to the
top. Wh2n they are weary Of this situa-
ton, they forIa themselves into a kind of
rope, which slowly descends as low as they
intend; but if they happen to be near the
side of the jar, they will descend upon it.
In one experiment, a small quantity of
matter containing these animalcules hav-
ing been put into a jar Of water, it so hap
pened that one part went down immediate
iy TO the bottom, while the other continued
floating at the top. When things had re.
NAMED some time in this condition each of
these swaruas Of animalcules began to grow
weary of its situation, and appeared dis.
posed TO change it. Both ARMIES, there
fore, set out at the same time, the one pro-
ceeding n5wards and the other downwards,
so that after some hou-s' journey they net
in the middle. A DEERE Of knowing how
they would behave on this OCCASION en-
grged the observer to watch them careful
ly, and to his surprise he saw the army
that was marching upwards open to the
right and left, to mako room for those that
were descending. Thus, without confu-
sion Or i~utern1ixture, each held on it's way;
the army that was going up marching in
two columns to the top, and the other de.
scending in n column to the bottom, as
If each had been under the direction of
intelligent leaders.
Another very singular animal, whose
existence and habits have been discovered
by the microscope, has been dignided with
the name of the PYotcus, from It's assunisg
so great a variety Of shapes as scarcely to
be recognised as the same animal in its
transformations. Its general
bears a considerable ress inblance to
that Of the swan, and it's changes are
effected by it's neck, which it some.
extends to a considerable length,
and sometimes disposes Of it altogether.
also APPEARS to have the power Of in.
Sreasing ito transparency or opaqueness at
There are no eyes, moi any opening
in the head, like a mouth, TO be discarned;
but its actions clearly prove that it pos
5esses the faculty of vision. for though
nultitudes of other animalcules swim about
in the same water, and It's own progress
sive motion is very swift, yet ii never
strikes against any CT them but directs its
course between them with astonishing ,
1exter:ty
Another and a very perfect animal is i,
by the microscope in rain wa. ,
Ter, which has stood for some days in lead
an cutters, or in hallows on the tops of
houses. This is called the yorticelfa, or
wheel animal. 1t is extremely curious and
in its construction, for it seems to
De isnpetled by two wbee's, che, on eS.cn
'i6 of the front part Of its body.
The microscope was first used IN Ger.
many, in the year 1921. There 8 q dis.
,ute about the discoyerer, and he time
his discovery was made. Come place
t as far back as the year 1873.
Love AND TIAE.-n Is certainly a
most fortunate clrcumstar. ce that watches
ind clocks are never IA love; for without
heir interference poor time would indeed
most sadly helFd. Every ons takes
MS y f~anciful yijw Of the rate that he
flies. Suspense nlakes a moment an age,
md iaV turns n fsy IN M ha,tr Ennui !