IX 
ding months : when the water first leaves them, the 
polypi are full of life, but suffer and languish as they 
lose their moisture ; nor fail to perish should the sea 
remain too long without re-covering them : those that 
can retire into the recesses of their cells, are more 
enabled to hold out, by means of the moisture they 
preserve ; but the uncovered polypi, and those whose 
whole mass is animated, like the Alcyones, experience 
a quicker alteration, proportioned to the higher tempe- 
rature and the dryness of the air. Taken in this state of 
sufferance, and replaced in sea water, these little ani- 
mals slowly resume their activity : there are some which 
do not expand their tentacula till the second or third 
day, whilst those which immediately after their expo- 
sure to the air have been carefully returned to their 
natural element in a tranquil place, where the water 
was not agitated, have as soon expanded from their 
cells, or the mass to which they were attached. It 
may be necessary to remark, that naturalists have 
sometimes erred, in describing the polypus con- 
tracted, for the polypus expanded. 
Some species of Polypidoms are found always si- 
tuated on the southern slopes of the rocks, but never 
on those of the east, west, or north : others, on the 
contrary, develope only on the last aspects, and never 
Cor. 
B 
