[ lOI ] 



C H A p. X, 



A COURSE of EXPERIMENTS 

 on the P O L Y P E. 



EXPERIMENTI. 



Cutting off a Polype's lie ad. 



Jl/TARCH, 25, 1743. About feven in 



■^ ^^ the Evening, I cut a Polype in two 

 Parts, tranfverfly, whofe Body and Arms 

 were, before Sedlion, when extended to the 

 utmoft, near three Quarters of an Inch in 

 Length. 



In order to perform this Operation, I pla- 

 ced it in Water in a pretty deep concave Glafs 

 Lens, in which I likewife examined it in the 

 Microfcope, both before and after it was 

 divided. 



I attempted to cut it pretty near the mid- 

 dle as it lay extended in the Water : but the 

 Glafs flipping, and the Creature happening 

 to contract itfelfjufl at the fame Inftant, my 

 ScifTars wounded it as clofe as poffible to the 

 Place where the Arms come out; and, not 

 being very fliarp, I was forced to cut in the 

 fame Place two or d:iree Times, before I 

 could feparate the Head entirely from the 

 Body. 



H 3 This 



