410 THE POLYPUS. 



quires it to be intense before they are reduced into an 

 entire inactive state. 



These animals have a progressive motion, which is 

 performed by the power they possess of lengthening 

 and contracting themselves at will ; and those which 

 are capable of extending their bodies to an inch, have 

 arms or feelers generally twice the length : these are 

 stretched out in search of prey, which either consists 

 of millipedes or worms. The most singular part in 

 the history of the polypus is, that it is not only capa- 

 ble of being propagated by a division of the body 

 into the smallest and most minute parts, but likewise 

 grows from an excrescence which issues from the pa- 

 rent, and soon becomes equally perfect in form and 

 shape. 



OF THE LYTHOPHYTES AND SPONGES. 



Although every leaf and vegetable swarms with 

 animals upon land, yet they are still more abundant in 

 the sea ; and when the bottom of some shores are ex- 

 amined with attention, they bear a strong resemblance 

 to a forest of trees. These aquatic groves are formed 

 of different substances, and assume a variety both in 

 appearance and shape. The coral plants, as they are 

 called, sometimes spread out like the antlers of a stag, 

 and at others like the leafless branches of trees. 



These singular appearances in the watery element 

 were supposed to form a part of the vegetable tribe, but 

 they are now known to be produced by the united ex- 

 ertions of a numerous class of the polypus race, like 

 the honeycomb which is formed from the labours of 

 the bee. Upon breaking off' a branch of the coraline 

 substance, and observing it with attention, it will ap- 

 pear absolutely studded with small jejly-drops, each of 



