VOL. XtJI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. ^0,5 



it; and, after many trials, which were rendered fruitless by the minuteness and 

 extreme tenderness of the arms and other parts of this animal, that contract as 

 soon as taken out of water, and so cling together, as to become inseparable 

 afterwards, without being torn to pieces, he happened, at last, to hit on a me- 

 thod of performing the operation perfectly; which method he here explains, as 

 taken from his essay on this creature lately published, entitled the " Natural 

 History of the Polype;" where the description may be seen at p. 84. 



Fig. 8, pi. 21, represents the polype, as dried and viewed by the microscope; 

 by which the following observations may be made: 1. As the body thus dried 

 exhibits a reticulation of minute vessels, which appear every where most curi- 

 ously interwoven, we may reasonably suppose they serve as veins and arteries, 

 through which some kind of blood or juices circulates, as in other animals. 



2. The anus of the polype may be discovered very plainly in this dried 

 object ; whereas in a living one it requires much attention to see it in a satis- 

 factory manner. 



3. The mouth, or opening between the arms, appears here like the mouth of 

 a sack or bag, which indeed the body does not badly represent. 



4. By observing the arms thus dried, we obtain a clear idea of the means by 

 which this creature catches fast hold of its prey, the moment of its touching it, 

 and before it can bring its arms to clasp about it; for we plainly see here, that 

 the arms are thick beset with hairs, or rather sharp hooks, which possibly are 

 moveable, and can strike easily into the body of a tender worm. But these 

 hooks or hairs are not visible in the living animal; being then, perhaps, some 

 how or other generally drawn in, or laid flat and close along the sides of the 

 arms, as in some sorts of star-fish. Besides, the water wherein we are obliged 

 to view a polype, when alive, will not permit so strict an examination as it can 

 now be brought to. 



^ Catalogue of the fifty Plants from Chelsea Garden, presented to the Royal 

 Society by the Company of Apothecaries, for the Year 1740, pursuant to the 

 Direction of Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. P. R. S. N° 47 1 , p. 620. 



This is the IQth presentation of this kind, completing the number in all to 

 gSO plants. 



Of the Transit of Mercury over the Sun, Oct. 31, 1736, and Oct. 15, 1743. 

 By Dr. Bevis. N''47l, p. 622. From the Latin. 



In the following observations. Dr. Halley attended the clock, while Dr. Bevis 

 observed the transit with the 24-foot telescope. He began about 8 o'clock to 

 watch the commencement, but could see nothing in the sun besides spots. 



