MORALS AND MANNERS. 145 



cite it, the error just noticed would never have gained 

 currency ; the observations of that very accurate ob- 

 server would have suggested a fallacy in the interpre- 

 tation. " J'ai vu souvent des Pucerons (water-fleas) 

 qui parvenoient a se mettre en liberte. II ni'a paru 

 qu'ils le pouvoient plus facilement que les Millepieds 

 (Naids). Comnie ils sont fort petit s, et surtout que 

 leurs corps n'est pas allong^ ils risquent nioins que 

 les vers de s'engager dans les bras des Polypes en se 

 debattant.'' * And he nowhere mentions that the 

 escaped animals died, or gave any signs of having 

 been paralysed by contact with the tentacles. 



To sum up this discussion, we may say that ample 

 testimony is afi*orded in proof of the position that 

 Anemones have a certain stinging power ^ the nature 

 of which is not yet ascertained, but which is pro- 

 bably a minor degree of that possessed by some Jelly- 

 fish. 



Direct experiment and observation prove that neither 

 the Anemones, nor the fresh-tuater Polypes, possess in 

 any degree the power of paralysing other animals. 



" But do tell us something about the habits and in- 

 stincts of these Anemones," some light-minded reader 



Hydrse ; it was instantly caught by one, and held for some time till it 

 struggled itself free. Not only was it apparently unhurt by this con- 

 tact, but -to-day it is as lively as it was three days ago, just before the 

 experiment. With two other Naids the same result was observed. 

 This completes the overthrow of the current opinion respecting the 

 Hydra's paralysing power. 



* Trembley : Memoires pour servir d Vkist. des Polypes dCean douce. 

 1744, p. 92. 



K 



