518 
MlaCELLANnOUS WONCERS Ol' NATUnF- 
and thus possesses two modes of multiplication. \ 
parodoxical that a pofype should he able to swallo'V^^^glii? 
three or four times as large as itself, which is 
observed to happen ; but it must be considered 
body of the animal is extremely extensile, and 
sesscs, in an extraordinary degree, the power of 
itself according to the size of the subsUuice it has to s j i 
It seizes its prey with great eagerness, but 
slowly, ill the same manner as a snake swallow® ^ 
quadruped. The arms of a polype, when micfoso t -i' 
examined, are found to be furnished with a vast ■''•’j.gfs, '’J 
small organs, ajiparetitly acting ' like so many s^o 
thft mpan« nf -Wpliinh thp animnl mn a 'VO* C 
44XV,H1A,-J VZi vriJl*-iJ CiiS,/ 4AW4V*. — g 
though but slightly in contact with one of its f*” j 
when on the point of swallowing its prey, it 
use of all its arms at once, in order to absorb it ^ 
readily 
if'’ 
1 # 
Corals, on being gathered perfectly fresh, ana r ^ 
pear to put forth small flowers fro''' qW 
■ ■ 
sea water, apjiear to put 
hoik 
supposed flowers (for such an idea has been 
minute cavities, or hollow points, on the surtacS' 'ii)! 
id flowers tfor such an idea has been 6tt (i 
to 
are real animals ; and, consequently corals are 
sidered as aggregates of animals, either forming- 
1 jn 
inhabiting, the calcareous substance of the 
they appear. I'he smaller corals, commonly 
— .. , — • j,y 1" 
the name of corallines, or sea mosses, are so m-ii*; 
sea-polypes, covered with a kind of strong, 
defend them from the injuries to which they 
in the boisterous element de.stined for tlieir j ,,ai% 
harder, or stony corals are equally of an ^ 
the entire cora 
al continuing to grow as an animak f? i. 
by secretion, the strong or horny exterior, 
once be considered as its bone, and the habitatiqii 
has constantly to dwell. A coral of tills kind 
a large compound zoophite, springing up o'*' 
in which it .seems to have taken root, and shoots® 
branches like a vegetable production. ^ op^ '' 
Sponges afford another curious instance of j[ol 
There are forty-nine species of this zoophite, j a** . < 
is characterised in the Linuean system as a ^ 
flexile, toipid, of various forms, composed 
ticulate fibres, or masses of small spines iutei'WO^ 
