[46] 



CHAP. VI. 



O/'//^^ Polype's Stomach. 



nn H E Stomach of a Polype is that Place 

 ^ which receives its Food : and the Paf- 

 fage thereto is an Opening between the 

 Arms, which, therefore, I fhall term the 

 Mouth. This Mouth can open, occafional- 

 ly, extremely wide, and as well as the Sto- 

 mach is perfedily fuited to fo voracious an 

 Animal, for the fwallovving and digefting 

 Worms and other Creatures much larger 

 than itfelf. 



When an Animal is reported to fwallow 

 Creatures larger than its own Size, an Ex:- 

 planation is highly neceflary, or elfe, how- 

 ever true the Fa6l may be, one can fcarce ex- 

 ped it fliould obtain Credit. In order there- 

 fore to folve this Difficulty, it muft be re- 

 membered, that every Part, every Fibre of 

 this Animal, is capable of very great Exten- 

 fion : and by this means it is, that the Body 

 and Stomach admit of being flretched out to 

 fuch a wonderful Degree, as really to receive 

 and contain a Quantity whofe Bulk is more 

 than that of the whole Polype was before*: 



* Something of the like Kind may be obferved in Snakes 

 and Lizards, when they fwallow large Frogs, Toads, ^c, 



after 



