636 ^ PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1775. 



tubes be uninterrupted, since half an anemony newly cut changes its place with 

 as much ease as a whole one. It will no doubt appear a curious inquiry, whe- 

 ther these semi-anemonies, after becoming in a manner whole ones, are capable 

 of propagating their species. To this I can only answer at present, that I have 

 not yet seen the generation of anemonies, except in the sea, or in animals 

 newly taken out of it. It must further be observed, that these anemonies, 

 perfect as they seem to be, may perhaps have only half the number of limbs of 

 the whole ones, of which they made a part : so that the whole wonder comes to 

 this, that the severed halves of an animal should recover, and each taking the 

 appearance of an entire individual, continue to live as if they were such. And 

 such in fact I believe they are ; but this I have not yet been able to ascertain, as 

 the anemonies of this species have not all the same number of limbs, as it is 

 always very difficult to count them, and as all those on which I have hitherto 

 made the experiment had a great number of them. However, as no manner of 

 difference appears, I am inclined to suspect that new limbs shoot out between 

 the old ones. 



After having observed these animals during several years, both in the sea and 

 in my study, it will no doubt be expected, that I should now give a particular 

 account of their manner of propagation ; but here I can only confess my igno- 

 rance, having never been able to get at the knowledge of any one circumstance 

 relating to it : which makes me suspect, that these animals propagate without 

 any communication of individuals. What I would here suppose, is by no 

 means unexampled. Among the aphides, for instance, whose mode of propa- 

 gation deserves to be further examined, though the sexual parts have been dis- 

 covered, individuals nevertheless are found, which, though deprived of all 

 communication one with another from the very moment they are brought forth, 

 yet produce an offspring, which being likewise denied all intercourse, still pro- 

 pagates ; and so on, through a great number of generations, which succeed 

 each other very rapidly. The muscle also is thought to be an animal of the 

 same nature. 



The anemonies of the 2d species are not only less obvious to our observation, 

 but it is with difficulty they are preserved in any degree of perfection. They 

 cannot be taken out of the sand without depriving them of their natural posi- 

 tion. Common mixed sand kills them in a few days ; and that which is purified 

 affords them no longer the slime, the small insects, or other necessary sustenance, 

 which we cannot possibly divine. In plucking them from their native soil, their 

 bases generally suffer, and the wounds in that part are frequently mortal. One 

 of the safest expedients is to gather with them the pebbles to which they adhere; 

 or what is still preferable, to observe them in their natural element the sea. It 

 is these that, without the least liostile appearance, they are seen to make an in- 



