NATURAL HISTORY. 61 
after coming within its reach; and this is the 
more probable, as their prey, even when it con- 
sists of worms (whose tenacity for life is well 
known), is instantly deprived of life, and no 
weapons of any kind can be discovered. 
When they have devoured their food, they 
generally contract themselves, as represented 
in the drawing, figure 2, and partially contracted 
at e, figure 3. They are very sluggish during 
the process of digestion, and the nutritive fluid 
is dispersed over the whole internal surface 
both of the body and arms, imparting to them 
a coloured appearance. 
The young are produced by shoots growing 
out of the different parts of the body of the 
parent, as shown in figures 1 and 3. They do 
not possess any sexual distinctions, and the 
power of reproduction is not confined to any 
particular part of the animal. When the 
creature is well fed, and the weather warm, it 
is very prolific, three or four germinating at the 
same time from a single imdividual, and others 
again sprouting out of these while attached to 
the parent. When a young one is about to be 
produced, that part of the animal from which it 
is to emanate increases in size, and projects, as 
shown at d, figure 1. After it has increased 
