[ v ] 
They make life of their progrcMve Motion, to 
place themfelves conveniently, fo as to catch their Prey . 
They are voracious Animals : Their Arms extended 
into the Water, are fo many Snares which they fet 
for Numbers of fmall Infe&s that are fwimming there. 
As foon as any of them touches one of the Arms, it is 
caught. 
The Polypus being feized of a Prey, conveys it to 
his Mouth, by contra&ing or bending his Arm. If 
the Prey be drong enough to make Refidance, he 
makes ufe of feveral Arms. 
A Polypus can matter a Worm twice or thrice as 
long as hitnfelf. He feizes it, he draws it to his 
Mouth, and what is more, fwallows it whole. 
If the Worm comes endways to the Mouth, he 
fwallows it by that End ; if not, he makes it 
enter double into his Stomach, and the Skin of the 
Polypus gives way. The Size of the Stomach ex- 
tends itfelf fo as to take in a much larger Bulk than 
that of the Polypus itfelf, before it fwallowcd that 
Worm, The Worm is forced to make feveral 
Windings and Folds in the Stomach, but does not 
keep there long alive 5 the Polypus fucks it, and after 
having drawn from it what ferves for his Nourifhment, 
he voids the Remainder by his Mouth, and thefe are 
his Excrements. According as the Weather is more 
or lefs hot, the Polypus eats more or lefs, oftener or 
lefs often. 
They grow in Proportion to what they eat j they 
can bear to be whole Months without eating, but 
then they wade in Proportion to their Fading. 
The Obfervations related in the Philofophical 
Tranfaffions, principally concern the Manner in 
which 
