[ 641 1 
have been defcribing is reiterated feveral times. 
Thus a principal branch is formed, provided with 
feveral lateral ones. Thefe lateral branches become 
principal, with regard to thofe which in their turn 
foem to fpring from them, when the Polypi at their 
extremitys come to divide. All the Polypi of a 
clutter do not detach themfelves from it at the fame 
time : thofe which are neareft to the origin of the 
branches ufually detach themfelves firft. And every 
Polypus fo detached, goes and fixes itfelf elfe where, 
every one thus becoming at laft, if not prevented, 
the principal of a new clutter. 
I have often kept Polypi of this fort, in glafies of 
the fize of that which is reprefented in Fig . 4. 
And the firft clutter I had placed in it to obfervc 
its growth and progrefs, continued ftill well pro- 
vided with Polypi , when there were already num- 
bers of other clutters formed in the fame glafs, 
all which owed their being to thofe that had de- 
tached themfelves from the firft clutter. I have feeii 
fometimes, portions of the peacock’s feather in the 
water, entirely covered with thefe clutters : and I 
was well afiured that all thefe clutters came from 
the firft I had lodged in the glafs. Nay I have even 
carried my experiments fo far as to be well allured, 
that every Polypus of a clutter, as foon as detached 
and fixed elfewhere, became the principal of a new 
clutter. I mention this fa& particularly, becaufe I 
fhall make fome ufe of it hereafter, when I come to 
take notice of a difference, between this fpecies of 
Polypi I am now treating of, and another fpecies I 
fhall have occafion to fay fomewhat about by and 
by. 
Oooo 2 
When 
