INDEX. 345 



and often in possession of the prey of contention ; the cold 

 approaching to congelation, they feel the general torpor of 

 nature, and their faculties are for two or three months sus- 

 pended; such as are best supplied, soonest acquire their 

 largest size, but they diminish also in their growth with the 

 same facility, if their food be lessened ; some propagated 

 from eggs, some produced by buds issuing from the body 

 as plants by inoculation, while all may be multiplied by 

 cuttings to an amazing degree of minuteness ; of those pro- 

 duced by buds issuing from the parent stem, should the 

 parent swallow a red worm, it gives a tincture to all its 

 fluids, and the young partakes of the parental colour; but 

 if the latter should seize upon the same prey, the parent is 

 no way benefited by the capture, all the advantage thus 

 remains with the young; several young of different sizes 

 are growing from its body; some just budding forth, 

 others acquiring perfect form, and others ready to drop 

 from the original stem ; those young still attached to the 

 parent, bud and propagate also, each holding dependence 

 upon its parent ; artificial method of propagating these 

 animals by cuttings ; Mr Hughes describes a species of this 

 animal, but mistakes its nature, and calls it a sensitive 

 flowering plant, vi. 184. 



Polypus-coral, the work of an infinite number of reptiles of 

 that kind, vi. 196. In every coralline substance are a num- 

 ber of polypi, 197. 



Pongo, name given by Battel to the ourang-outang, iii. 289. 



Poppies affect with drowsiness those who walk through fields 



of them, or are occupied in preparing the flowers for opium, 



i. 279. 



Porcelain, an artificial composition of earth and water, united 



by heat, i. 144. 



Porcupine, an enlarged hedgehog ; its description ; of all 

 those brought into Europe, not one ever seen to launch its 

 quills, though greatly provoked ; their manner of defence ; 

 directs its quills pointing to the enemy ; Kolben relates, the 

 lion then will not venture an attack ; feeds on serpents and 

 other reptiles ; the porcupine and serpent are said never to 

 meet without a mortal engagement ; how it destroys and de- 

 vours them ; of Canada subsists on vegetables ; those brought 

 to this country for show, usually fed on bread, milk, and 

 fruits, do not refuse meat when offered ; is extremely hurt- 

 ful to gardens ; the Americans, who hunt it, believe it lives 

 from twelve to fifteen years; during the time of coupling, 

 in the month of September, the males become fierce and 

 dangerous, and often destroy each other with their teeth ; 

 time of gestation ; the female brings forth one at a time ; 

 she suckles it about a month, and accustoms it to live, like 

 herself, upon vegetables and the bark of trees ; the female 



