IG OBSKRVATIOMS ON MARINE POLYPES. 



It is stated in books on Natural History that these animals may be cut 

 into a great many parts, and that each part will immediately become a 

 complete animal, and live and act as if nothing had happened to it. To 

 test the correctness of this statement, I cut some of mine into several pieces; 

 they seemed to be little affected by the operation, and each part continued 

 to live as a distinct individual. Some of these I kept for a considerable 

 tiraa; but I felt satisfied they did not thrive so well or look so healthy as 

 the Polypes that had not been so divided. 



I find I have still in my possession a few notes of observations I made on 

 three varieties of these creatures, the substance of which I shall transcribe. 



1847, March 6th. — Received three large Polypes this morning, and placed 

 them in basins of salt water. 



No. 1, the largest, is covered by a sac or mantle, finely streaked with red 

 stripes; the prevailing colour of the sac is dull gray, and it is covered with 

 small transparent pimples about the size of pin heads: probably they contain 

 water. When placed in clean salt water the sac is gradually withdrawn, and 

 the animal appears a flattish circular body of considerable diameter, having 

 the entire circumference guarded by the outstretched tentacula, as by a forest 

 of tiny spears. Inside of this is a considerable space perfectly smooth, the 

 colour beautifully variegated with different shadings of red, and in the centre 

 is the orifice or mouth. This opening assumes a great variety of forms and 

 appearances, the beauty and delicacy of which can only be properly appreciated 

 when seen in the living object. Sometimes the lips rise a little above 

 the surface, and curve elegantly over into the cavity. Their inner surface 

 is generally of a white or cream-colour, and capable of great distension, as 

 indeed the whole Polype is. The body is soft, yields easily to the touch, 

 and exhibits a good deal of sensitiveness. The tentacula have considerable 

 elasticity; they will seize the finger firmly, stretching considerably before they 

 let go their hold; they likewise bend readily round any object placed within 

 their reach, and carry it towards the mouth; in such cases, however, only 

 the tentacula near the object seem to engage themselves; those at a little 

 distance seem no way cognizant of what is going on. That the creature may 

 spread to its full extent, it seems to gorge itself with water; perhaps it 

 manages thus to seize any aniraalcula) or other matter the water may contain 

 suitable for its nourishment. When it folds itself up it ejects a considerable 

 quantity of water, and it then presents an appearance something like a large 

 orange striped longitudinally, and firmly fixed by one end. 



No. 2 is reddish in colour, not striped, but otherwise of a similar structure 

 and arrangement to No. 1. 



No. 3 : the mantle is all but entirely white, which is likewise the prevailing 

 colour of the body and tentacula, while they are beautifully tinted with 

 red. The disc within the tentacula is transparent; in other respects it ■ 

 resembles the two former. ^ 



9 th. — Changed the water, and gave each of the Polypes a small piece of 



