4^2 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1773. 



What first offered itself to Mr. D.'s observations, is what distinguishes these 

 animals from plants, viz. progressive motion, by the help of which they can 

 shift their place; the other determinate motions, by which they are enabled to 

 lay hold of their prey; the means they make use of to defend themselves; their 

 deglutition, digestion, evacuations, and lastly the propagation of their species, 

 &c. What little he has had an opportunity to see of those functions, appears 

 sufficient to place these creatures in the class of spontaneous animals, rather 

 than in the dark indeterminate list of zoophytes. 



In May 1772, he clipped all the limbs of a purple anemone of the 1st species. 

 Soon after, these limbs began to bud out again. The 30th of Jujy they were 

 clipped a 2d time, and grew again in less than a month. Having cut them a 3d 

 time, they had a 3d shooting out. The same experiment on a green anemone 

 had the like success. It seems these reproductions might extend as far, or be 

 as often repeated, as patience and curiosity would admit. Several experiments 

 have convinced him that one single limb of these anemonies being cut ofi^, re- 

 tains a power to fasten itself to any small body that is brought near it, either by 

 its end, or by the side towards the end, but not by that part where the clipping 

 was made. This induces him to think that the effect is produced by suction, 

 rather than by any glutinous matter, which might be supposed to ooze out at 

 the pores. This limb, after being cut off", has also a power to stretch or contract 

 itself alternately. 



July the 12th he cut one of these purple anemonies through the body, rather 

 nearer the basis. This part remained adhering to the side of the vessel in which 

 it was; and for several days made various motions. At last it got loose, and 

 then fastened in another place. The 27th it began again to move about, till the 

 end of August, when it became as it were lifeless, very flabby, and had often an" 

 offensive smell. He concluded it to be dead; but as it did not lose its shape, he 

 resolved to keep it, and to shift it every day into some fresh sea water. From 

 time to time, he thought it had some sort of motion, and in the beginning of 

 November these motions became more perceptible. It shifted its position, when 

 contrary to its natural state. November the 28th, this stump climbed up to the 

 top of the vessel. He then began to perceive some new limbs growing out. 

 January 13, 14, and 15, 1773, it again moved about; and on the ]6tb, seeing 

 these growing new limbs, he offered them some bits of muscles, which however 

 were neither eaten, nor even laid hold of. That same day, after several motions 

 in various directions, it loosened its adhesion, and remained motionless and 

 flabby, but without any bad smell, till the beginning of February, when it ap- 

 peared adhering, but weakly, to the bottom of the vase. The 1 6th, after se- 

 veral motions, it climbed up to the top, where it remained till the 1 1th of March, 

 and then loosened its hold. These alternate stations and motions lasted till the 



