0/ Polypes. 23 



and thereby form a Current that brings 

 along with it many fmall Infedis within the 

 Reach of its Arms, which inftantly catch 

 them, and after a moft wonderful Manner 

 convey them to the Mouth. This Sort he 

 calls Polypes a Pennache^ or, flume d Polypes -y 

 from the Refemblance their little Arms bear 

 to Feathers. They adhere, he fays, to the 

 Stalks or Roots of Water- Plants, and have a 

 Skin or Cafe, whereinto, when difturbed, 

 they withdraw their Bodies and Arms : but 

 as foon as all is compofed and quiet, they 

 put them out, and go to work again. 



This Defcription inclines me to believe, 

 they are the very fame Animals Mr. Leeu- 

 WENHOEK took noticc of, as living in a 

 Sheath or Cafe, (which they faften to the 

 Roots of Duck- weed) and having twofeeming 

 Wheels with a great many Teeth or Notches, 

 coming from their Heads, and turning round 

 as it were upon an Axis: but, he tells us, at 

 the leaft Touch, the Wheel-work is drawn 

 into the Body, and the Body into the Sheath, 

 The Particulars of Mr. Leeuwenhoek's 

 Account, and two or three Figures of the 

 Creatures themfelves, are given in the 9 1 ft 

 Page of my Treatife on Micro/copes, to 

 which, therefore, I muft beg leave to refer. 

 But I muft juft obferve, that if this Animal 

 is really the Plumed Polype^ it affords freili 

 Occafion of admiring the Diligence of Mr. 

 Leeuwenhoek, whofe careful Searches 

 C 4 few 



