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being very light for a Stone of that Bulk. He further describes it to be of a whitish colour, lighter than Ash-colour; perchance (saith he) not unlike to that recited out of Scaliger by M.Boyle in his Essay of Firmness pag 238. qui aëris contactu postea in gypseam tum Speciem tum firmitatem concreverat. It had no deep asperities, and had somewhat of an Oval figure, out less at one end, than a Hen-Egge, and bigger and blunter at the other, than a Goose egge.
This Stone (so he concludes) is intended for the Royal Society, with the Testimony of the Chirurgion, that perform'd the Operation, and other Witnesses of special credit; where also will be annexed the manner of Operation.
It appears by this last clause (to add that on this occasion) that this Well-wisher to the Improvement of all usefull knowledge, has taken notice of that considerable Collection of Curiosities, lately presented to the lately nam'd Society so their Repository, by that Publick-minded Gentleman Mr. Daniel Colwall, a very worthy and useful Member of that Body: To which Repository whatsoever is presented as rare and curious, will be with great care, together with the Donors names and their Beneficence recorded, and the things preserved for After-ages, (probably much better and safer, than in their own private Cabinets;) and in progress of Time will be employed for considerable Philosophical and Usefull purposes; of which perhaps more largely in another place.
A Relation
Of a kind of Worms, that eat out Stones.
This is taken out of a Letter, written by one M. de la Voye to M. Auzout, to be found in the 32. Journal des Scavans; as follows.
IN a great and very ancient Wall of Free-Stone in the Benedictins Abby at Caen in Normandy, facing Southward, there are to be found many Stones so eaten by Worms, that one may run his hand into most of the Cavities; which are variously fashion'd, like the Stones, which I have seen wrought with so much Art in the Louvre: In these cavities there is abundance of live-Worms, their excrement, and of that Stone-dust, they eat. Between many of the Cavities there remain but leaves, as it were, of Stone, very thin, which part them. I have taken some of these living Worms, which I found in the eaten Stone, and put them into a Box with several bits of the Stone, leaving them there together for the space of eight dayes; and then opening the Box, the Stone seem'd to me eaten so sensibly, that I could no longer doubt of it. I send you the Box and the Stones in it, together with the living Worms; and to satisfie your Curiosity, I shall relate to you, what I have observed of them, both with and without a Microscope.
