[ 6 43 ] 
be at the trouble of examining regularly, and for 
fome continuance, the whole progrefs of a duller 
of thefe ‘Polypi. 
What further proves that thefe branches do really 
fpring from the Polypi , and that they derive their 
nouriftiment from the fame, is, that the branches con- 
fiantly ceafe to grow, whenever the Polypi at their 
extremities are detached from them, either naturally 
or by any accident. 
The Polypi of another fpecies I am now going 
to fpeak about, form alfo a groupe refembling a 
clufter, or more properly an open flower. This 
flower or clufter is fupported by a very diftinft ftem, 
which is by its lower extremity fixed to fome of 
the aquatic plants or extraneous bodies that are 
found in the water. From the other extremity of 
this ftem fet out eight or nine branches, quite dif- 
ferently difpofed from thofe of that fpecies of Polypi I 
have been laft deferibing. Thefe eight or nine branches 
are perfectly alike, but it may be noted, that what I 
here call by the name of a branch, is indeed the 
aflembiage of feveral other lefler branches, whofe 
colle&ive form much refembies that of a leaf, 
{Fig. 4.). Every one of thefe aflemblages is com- 
pofed of one principal branch or nerve, which 
makes with the main ftem of the clufter an angle 
fomewhat greater than a right one. From either 
fide of this principal nerve others again fet out, 
and thefe lateral ones are the lefs extended in leugth, 
the nearer their origin is to the extremity of 
their principal branch. There is a Polypus at the 
extremity of this principal branch, and another at 
the extremity of every one of the lateral twigs. 
There 
