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Jlella cirborefcem (which may alfo be called a Polypus), 
though it has not fuckers, yet by the hooks along its 
arms, and the multiplicity of their branchings, which 
have been counted as far as 80,000, it can, by fpread- 
ing its arms abroad like a net, fo fetter and entangle 
the prey they inclofe when they are drawn together,, 
as to render it incapable of exerting its ftrength : 
for however feeble thefe branches or arms may lingly 
be, their power united becomes furprifing. And we 
are allured nature is fo kind to all thefe animals, that 
if in their ftruggles any of their arms are broken off', 
after fome time they will grow again ; of which a 
fpecimen at the Britifh Mufeum is an undoubted 
proof; for a little new arm is there feen fprouting 
forth in the room of a large one that had been loft. 
It is evident from what has been faid, that the Sea 
Polypus muft be terrible to the inhabitants of the 
waters, in proportion to its fize (and Pliny mentions 
one whofe arms were thirty feet in length) ; for the 
clofe embraces of its arms and the adhefion of its fuck- 
ers muft render the efforts of its prey ineffectual ei- 
ther for refiftance or efcape, unlefs it be endued with 
an extraordinary degree of ftrength. 
Sea Polypi are frequent in the Mediterranean : but 
Mr. Haviland of Bath, to whom we are obliged for 
this, which is of a different fpecies, thinks it came 
from the Weft Indies, where it is called a Cat-fffh. 
That like it in the British Mufeum alfo came from 
thence. 
As the Polypus I have endeayoured to deferibe is 
much contracted by lying long in fpirits, and dif- 
feCtion would deftroy a fpecimen well worth prefer- 
ving, I hope to be excufed if this account fhould be 
Vol, 50. 5 H found 
