[ 21 7 ] 
V. Fart of a Letter from - of Cam- 
bridge, to a Friend of the Royal Society, 
occajioned by what has lately been reported 
concerning the Infedt mentioned in Fage 1 1 8 
of this Tranfa&ion. 
Nov. 20. 1742. 
'Rend Nov. 2^. r | E laft News from Paris gives 
* 7+2 ’ fomething very farprifing in the 
Account of Monfieur Reaumur s late Memoir, read in 
the Royal Academy of Sciences there, concerning an 
Animal called a Polypus , in which Life is Laid to be 
preferved, after it has been cut into feveral Pieces, fo 
that One Animal feems by Sedtion to be immediately 
divided into Two or Three more complete Animals, 
each feparately enjoying Life, and continuing to per- 
form the proper Offices of its Species. 
Such an Account would have been Iefs regarded, 
had we not been informed before, that Two * Letters 
had been communicated to the Royal Society, fornc 
Months fince, from good Hands, both which men- 
tioned the fame thing, and related it as a FaT averred, 
and carefully examined, by one of the greateft Judges, 
and moft indefatigable Promoters, of Natural Hiftory, 
and efpccially of that Part of it, which leads to the 
Knowledge of what is moft particular and remarkable 
in the Infect and Reptile Part of the Creation. 
Some of our Friends, who are firmly attached 
to the general Metaphyfical Notions we have for- 
merly learned, reafon ftrongly againft the very 
Poffibility of i'uch a Fadt : but as I have myielf for- 
* Sec above p. 219 and 220. 
G g 2 
mcrly 
