Of the Polype'^ Arms. 45 



an d fwim very fwiftly, by ftretching out or 

 contracting their Arms at Pleafure. 



My dwelling fo long on thefe Defcriptions 

 of Dr. Grew, may be, I hope, excufable: 

 as my Intention thereby is, not only to give 

 a more diftind; Notion of the Polype'^ Arms 

 than can any other Way be done; but to 

 fliew, likewife, that the general Refemblance 

 between the Sea-Polypes, or Star-FiJJj^ and 

 the Animal we are treating of, is fo great, 

 that we can fcarce hefitate to look upon it as 

 a real Frefi-Water Star^Fifi, of which it is 

 pofiible there may be as many different 

 Species as in thole of the Sea Kind: and 

 that all the Variety of Arms either as to 

 Number or Structure, which are obfervable 

 in the one, may in procefs of Time be dif- 

 covered alfo in the other. 



Could we view thefe Sea-ProduBions m 

 their feveral Adions of Life, as we do the 

 Polypes in our Glaffes, ftretching out and 

 pulling in their Arms, and feizing their Prey, 

 the Similitude between them would, I make 

 no doubt, be ftill more remarkable than it 

 appears in thefe dryed Ones. 



CHAP. 



