72 Of the Polype'i Difeafes^ 



fure they crawl up the Sides of the Veflel ini 

 queft of Food; but thofe I have obferved 

 hanging in the Manner abovementioned, 

 have always been fuch as I had Rea- 

 fon to imagine might be hungry, from not 

 having eat for fomeTime before. I likewife 

 find them, when fo fufpended, very ready 

 to feize whatever conies within their Reach, 

 clafping w^ith their i\rms the Quill I ma- 

 nage them with fo firmly, that it is difficult 

 to get it from them, and a Worm that 

 comes near them is certain not to efcape. 

 After being fed, they eafily fink to the 

 Bottom, and continue there: but thofe I 

 have put down without giving them Food, I 

 have commonly, in an Hour or two, found 

 again at the Surface. Perhaps, when empty, 

 the Air may infinuate, and render themfpe- 

 cifically lighter than the Water, 



However hungry they are, they nevec 

 prey on one another 3 but, on the contrary^ 

 if feveral are in a G'Lifs they feem to chufe 

 being near one another. I have often put a 

 little Polype to a large One, that has been 

 fully extended to k\zt whatever fliould come 

 within its Reach, and have conftantly found, 

 that it received it with great Gentlenefs, and 

 ^s if it were afraid to hurt it. 



Some Gentlemen have found their Poly^ 

 fes quite diflblyed in their GlalTes, by not re- 

 newing 



