176 A FEW GENERAL OBSERVATIONS, &C. 



great seal from Kamtschatka, in anatomical structure, approaches 

 the nearest in similitude to the human race. 



The subject of exploring the affinities of mankind and plants 

 has been ingeniously considered in a short publication emanating 

 avowedly from the Worcestershire Natural History Society, and 

 under their auspices commencing a series of lectures and papers. 

 Mr. Lees has also written a most interesting account of the 

 " animal flowers," or the zoophytes and polypi, &c. which furnish 

 the connecting link between plants and animals ; a few incidental 

 remarks on these singular creatures, therefore, is now all that 

 is necessary. Provided with long arms with which to seize their 

 prey, a huge mouth to devour it, which after its repast contracts 

 to a small size, the polypus is nevertheless rooted firmly to the 

 ground, and multiplies by buds, seeds, and even cuttings. Mr. 

 Trembley published a short but interesting paper on the habits 

 of the polypi. He states his having kept some a considerable 

 time for the purpose of observation, and that no species of food 

 seemed to come amiss to them : although they preferred insects, 

 they would eat both fish and flesh. 



Some time ago a packet of seeds was received from China, 

 amongst which were those of the blue water-lily,* and, according 

 to the directions on the paper, a large flower-pan was prepared 

 with a little clay, in which the seeds were planted, and the 

 vessel was afterwards filled with water and placed in the hot- 

 house, where it remained during the summer. In process of 

 time a large party of polypi made their appearance in the 

 water: at first they were supposed to be indigenous, but a 

 most able and enthusiastic naturalist declared it to be his 

 opinion that the eggs or seeds of the polypi had been imported 

 with the clay and the seeds of the water-lilies ! He was de- 

 cidedly convinced they were a foreign species, and some pains 

 were taken to watch them very minutely : their colour was almost 

 pink, with darker tubercles at the joints from whence the arms 

 proceeded. They appeared a busy and most voracious race, but 

 when winter approached they assumed the accustomed torpor of 

 their species ; their length was about a quarter of an inch. 



The scale of animated nature is thus brought down to the 

 lowest ebb, yet such is the interminable arrangement that even 

 minute insects which can hardly be discerned with the naked 

 eye, by their labours produce rocks and islands springing in the 

 midst of the wide-extended ocean. 



The grand chain or connecting links in the creation, some of our 

 first naturalists, Lamarck and Cuvier amongst others, have endea- 

 voured to disprove. These are names most valuable to general 

 science ; and of the former we may indeed say " stat magni 

 nominis umbra !" France, however, has been so long convulsed 

 with intestine commotions, that excitement naturally directed the 



* Unfortunately they did not succeed. 



