anus or vent ; it therefore again evacuates the remains 

 of the animal on which it has preyed, by its mouth. 

 It is capable of fwallowing a worm of twice or thrice 

 its own fize ; which at firft appears incredible ; but is 

 ealily underftood when we confider that the Polype's 

 body is extremely extenfile, and is dilated on luch oc- 

 cafions to a furprifing degree. 



The ufual manner in which Polypes propagate is by 

 vegetation ; one or two, or even more young ones c- 

 merging gradually from the fides of the parent animal ; 

 and frequently thefe young ones are again prolific be- 

 fore they drop from the parent; fo that it is noun- 

 common thing to fee two or three generations at once 

 on the fame animal. But the mod aftonifhing parti- 

 cular is yet untold ; viz. that if a Polype is cut in pieces, 

 it is not deftroyed but multiplied by its wounds, and 

 what was faid of the fabulous Hydra of the ancients, is 

 here literally true ; 



" Fertilis et damnis dives ab ipfa fuis." * 



A Polype of the common fizc may be very conve- 

 niently cut in three pieces, by taking the opportunity, 

 when the creature is fully extended, of introducing a 

 pair of fciflars gently into the glafs in which it is kept, 

 and dividing it fuddenly ; and when the tail-part is a- 

 gain extended, repeating the fame operation : in this 

 cafe the tail-part will produce a new head and arms, 

 the head-part a new tail, and the middle part will re- 

 produce both head, and arms, and tail ; and all thefe 

 will in a few days become as perfedl, except in length, 



as 



* Rich from its lofs, and fruitful from its wound. 



