THE SEA MAR1GOLB. 347 



Discovered in Barbadoes. 



quickly unite, and form one animal, though each 

 section belong to a different species. The head 

 of one species may be engrafted on the hody of 

 another. When one polype is introduced by 

 the tail into another's body, the two heads unite, 

 and form one individual. 



These creatures continue active during the 

 greatest part of the year, and it is only when the 

 cold is most intense that they feel the general 

 torpor of nature. All their faculties are then for 

 two or three months suspended; but if they ab- 

 stain at one time they have ample amends in 

 their voracity at another; and, like all those ani- 

 mals that become torpid in winter, the meal of 

 one clay suffices for several months. 



The sea marigold, which is called by Mr. 

 Hughes, an animal flower, has been discovered 

 in Barbadoes, and is by him considered as a sen- 

 sitive pant, having many animal properties. The 

 cave that contained these animals was near the 

 bottom of a rocky cliff facing the sea, in the 

 north part of the island, in the parish of St Lucy. 

 The descent to it was steep and dangerous, being 

 in some places almost perpendicular. The cave 

 contained a natural bason of water, about sixteen 

 feet long and twelve broad, in the middle of 

 which was a rock almost covered with them. 



Round the sides of this, at different depths 

 under the water, seldom however more than 

 eighteen inches were seen at all times of the 

 year seemingly tine radiated flowers of a pale 



