OF NATURAL HISTORY. 109 



and becomes equally entire and troublefome as if it had re^ 

 ceived no injury. The lumhricus or earth-ijuorm : The body 

 of this worm is cylindrical, coniifts of many rings, and the 

 middle is encompalTed with an elevated belt. It is likewife 

 furni(hed with fharp prickles, which the animal can erefl or 

 deprefs at pleafure. Through certain perforations in the 

 Ikin, it occafionally emits a flimfy fluid, which lubricates its 

 body, and facilitates its paflage into the foil. The inteftines 

 of this worm are always filled with a fine earth, which feems 

 to conflritute its only nourifhment. Earth-worms, like fnails, 

 are hermaphrodite. The parts of generation are placed near 

 the neck, and they mutually impregnate each other. This 

 operation is performed on the furface of the ground •, and, 

 while thus employed, they will allow themfelves to be crufli- 

 ed to pieces rather than part. The females depofit their 

 eggs in the earth, where they are hatched. Thefe worms, 

 like the polypus, when cut through the middle, reproduce, 

 and each portion becomes a diftincl individual. According 

 to the different periods of their growth, their colour varies ; 

 but, in general, it is a du&y red. 



The fepia, or cuttle-fijhy though comparatively a large ani- 

 mal, fome of them being two feet long, is ranked by Linnae- 

 us under the clafs of worms. The fiiruclure of the cuttle 

 iifli is remarkable. Its body is cylindrical, and, in fome of 

 the fpecies, is entirely covered with a flefhy flieath j in oth- 

 ers, the fiieath reaches only to the middle of the body. The 

 fepia has eight tentacula, or arms, befide two feelers, as they 

 are called, which are much longer than the arms. Both the 

 feelers and arms are furniilied with flrong cups, or fuckers, 

 fliaped like the cup of an acorn, by means of which the ani- 

 mal feizes its prey, and firmly attaches itfelf to rocks, or to 

 the bottom of the fea. It has two large and prominent eyes. 

 What is flill more Angular, it is furnifhed with a hard, 

 flrong, horney beak, precifely fimilar, both in texture and 



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