74 



Itself from the plant, and began to walk. The 'Branches, 

 after having performed the office of arms, are likewise 

 employed by it instead of legs. 



After having made these observations, I could not 

 help acknowledging, that what I took for a parasite 

 plant was a real animal. I then took a view of the 

 piece I had cut oft from it, and perceived, to my sur- 

 prise, that it had grown, arid was become a complete 

 one like the other. 



But my surprise was greatly increased when, at the 

 end of some weeks, I found these animals were trans-- 

 formed into two small very bushy trees. 



From the trunk, which I knew to be the body of the 

 animal, sprung several branches on all sides of it : from 

 these brandies smaller ones sprouted forth, and from 

 those, smaller still : they ail ntove different ways, and 

 stretch out .their branches, while the trunk continues 

 fixed to a prop. This surprising assemblage forms only 

 one entire body; and the nourishment it receives by 

 one of its parts is successively communicated to all the 

 rest. In short, this collection of bodies divides itself.; 

 each piece separates itself from 'the others, and lives 

 distinctly from them. 



Amazed at these wonders,! part one of these animals 

 length-wise, about the middle of the body, I am pre- 

 sently in possession of a monster with two heads. 



I repeat the operation a great many times on the same 

 subject, and by this means I give birth to a hydra, more 

 astonishing than that of Lerna* 



I part several of these animals transversely, and lay 

 the separated pieces end to end; they graft or unite 

 themselves to each other, and compose only one entire 

 animal. 



To this prodigy I find a new one succeed. I turn one 

 of these insects, as we do a glove, putting the outside 

 vathin, and vice versa; he does not surfer the least 

 alteration from that; he lives, grows, and mutiplies. 



These animals, which multiply by slips and shoots, 

 that we engraft and turu inside oat, are polypus's. 



They are of very different species : many of them 



