64 The Polype'i Manner 



I have often feen them thus fituated, ex-* 

 tending and waving their Arms in the Water, 

 feveral Inches long, and fo exquifitely flen- 

 der as not to exceed the Thicknefs of the 

 fineft Cobweb: yet their Senfe of Feeling 

 is fo delicate, that if a Worm touches even 

 the utmoft Extremity of thefe very flender 

 Arms, they immediately lay hold of it, 

 and contrafting themfelves to about the 

 middle Length between their utmoft Exten- 

 fion and Contradion, by clafping their Arms 

 about it, they invelop and fetter it in fo ma- 

 ny Places, and to fuch a Degree, that not- 

 withftanding it be much larger and feeming- 

 ly ftronger than they, it is foon rendered 

 uncapable of ftruggling to any Purpofe. In 

 this Condition the Polype lengthens out its 

 Snout ^, and bites the Worm violently on 

 one Side, which not only gives it a great 

 deal of Pain, as its wriggling Motion tefti- 

 fies, but likewife makes the Blood run out : 

 and it continues fucking at the Wound till 

 the internal Juices are fo far extracted, that 

 the Body of the Worm is reduced to a Size 

 not over-large for the Polype's Mouth, then 

 opening extreamly wide, to take it in double; 

 in which Manner it is fwallowed, flowly and 

 gradually, till the whole gets down into the 

 Stomach; where it may be difcerned thro' 



* Vide Page 32. 



the 



