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their powerful vital principle is victorious over all such 

 trials. If the tentacles arc cut off, they grow again ; if once 

 more removed, a fresh garland is produced. If the animal 

 be cut in two, after a while the lower part of the body puts 

 forth new arms, nearly as they were prior to the operation ; 

 while the upper portion continues to swallow food, just as if 

 nothing had occurred. At first, like Munchausen's horse, 

 it allows the food to fall out again through the open 



POLYPODOM. 



end ; but it soon learns to retain and digest it. Johnson 

 (" British Zoophites") even mentions an instance, in which 

 such an amputated upper body, instead of healing at the 

 base, formed there a new mouth, with tentacles ; so that, 

 in this way, a truly gifted double-eater was produced, 

 which could capture and devour food at both extremities. 



But these otherwise indestructible animals die at once 

 when dropped into fresh water — for them, as for many other 

 marine creatures, as rapid a poison as Prussic acid to man. 



Sea Anemones are found in every sea, and the German 

 Ocean has also several splendid varieties ; among others, the 



