IX 



ding months : when the water first leaves them, the 

 polypi are full of life, but suffer and languish as they 

 lose their moisture ; nor fail to perish should the sea 

 remain too long without re-covering them : those that 

 can retire into the recesses of their cells, are more 

 enabled to hold out, by means of the moisture they 

 preserve ; but the uncovered polypi, and those whose 

 whole mass is animated, like the Alcyones, experience 

 a quicker alteration, proportioned to the higher tempe- 

 rature and the dryness of the air. Taken in this state of 

 sufferance, and replaced in sea water, these little ani- 

 mals slowly resume their activity : there are some which 

 do not expand their tentacula till the second or third 

 day, whilst those which immediately after their expo- 

 sure to the air have been carefully returned to their 

 natural element in a tranquil place, where the water 

 w^as not agitated, have as soon expanded from their 

 cells, or the mass to which they were attached. It 

 may be necessary to remark, that naturalists have 

 sometimes erred, in describing the polypus con- 

 tracted, for the polypus expanded. 



Some species of Polypidoms are found always si- 

 tuated on the southern slopes of the rocks, but never 

 on those of the east, west, or north : others, on tlie 

 contrary, develope only on the last aspects, and never 



Cor, B 



