80 THE WORLD OF THE SEA. 
ment. A polype can be thus turned many times, without ceasing 
to perform any of its functions; and more than this, one may be 
divided, then turned, then divided again, and again turned, and yet 
appear to suffer little or no inconvenience from such usage 
(Trembley). We must, however, admit that the poor creature does 
not like to live inside out. It would indeed be strange if it did. 
The polype uses every endeavour to return to its natural state, and 
is generally successful. If it be wished to prevent the creature 
succeeding, a needle should be run through it near its mouth. 
Very naturally this kind of transfixing cannot be pleasant, yet it 
does not seriously affect its functions. 
The first experiments upon polypes greatly astonished natu- 
ralists; nothing at all to be compared with them was known in the 
many wonders of the animal kingdom. “We can only judge of 
things by comparison,” writes Charles Bonnet ; “all our ideas of 
animal life have been taken from the larger animals ; and a creature 
which we can cut and turn inside out, and then cut again, and 
it still seems to be none the worse, astonishes us ; and who can tell 
how many facts are still unknown which one day will upset all 
our present notions? We just know enough not to be surprised 
at anything; and indeed a philosopher ought not to be surprised at 
anything; his duty is to observe, to forget his ignorance, and to 
attend to everything around him.” 
When we reflect upon the history of the polypes, it is truly 
confounding. We have seen they have no heart, no lungs, no 
liver, no intestines; and they have neither head nor brains. Six 
greyish and simple filaments supply the place of arms, and feet, 
and lips, and of all the organs of sense. When they are on the 
watch for their prey, they perceive its approach, they recognise 
it, and they devour it. They never make a mistake as to its 
nature and size, and they rarely fail to capture it. They fight 
among themselves; they thrust each other away, or they chase 
each other; they know how to escape, or where to find shelter 
when a danger threatens. They bring up their progeny after their 
manner, and faithfully perform all their duties in that state of life 
to which they have been consigned. How can they possibly ac- 
complish such varied acts? God has endowed them with that 
strange sense, zzstinct, a power independent of perception, of 
