Introduction. xvii 



arrived at mature Size, they fend out other young ones on 

 their Sides in the fame Manner ; fo that the Animal branches 

 out Into a numerous Offspring, growing out of one common 

 Parent, and united together and difpofcd in the Manner re- 

 prefented in Plate before-mentioned, Fig. C: Each of thcfe 

 provides NouriQiment not only for itfelf, but for the whole 

 Society ; an Increafe in the Bulk of one Polype by its feed- 

 ing;, tending to an Increafe In the red. 



Thus a Polype of the Frefh-water Kind becomes like a 

 Plant branched out, or compofed of many Bodies, each of 

 which has this fingular Charadteriftic, that if one of them is 

 or cut in Two in the Middle, the feparated Part becomes a 

 complete Animal, and foon adhering to fome fixed Bafe, 

 like the Parent from whence it was feparated, produces a 

 Circle of Arms, a Mouth is formed in the Centre ; it in- 

 creafes in Bulk, emits a numerous Progeny^ and is, in every 

 Refpedl, as perfedl an Animal as that from which it was fe- 

 vered. 



Much after the fame Manner, fo far as hath hitherto been 

 difcovered, the marine Polype, however different in rei'pedl 

 to Form, is nourifhed, increafes, and may be propagated ; 

 having often found, in my Enquiries, that fmall Pieces cut 

 off from the living Parent, on account of viewing the fe- 

 veral Parts more accurately, foon give Indications, that they 

 contain not only the Principles of Life, but likewife the Fa- 

 culty of increafing and multiplying into a numerous Iffue. 



T R A N i- 



