POLYPES. 
51 
r ®sd ; and we aro now so familiar with the outlines of 
tIie histoiy of the fresh-water polype, and its marvellous 
reproductive powers, that we can scarcely appreciate the 
Vividness of the sensation felt when it was all novel and 
strange : when the leading men of our learned societies 
were daily experimenting on these poor worms, and trans- 
mitting them to one another from distant countries, by 
careful posts, and as most precious gifts ; and when even 
ambassadors interested themselves in sending early in- 
telligence of the engrossing theme to their respective 
courts.”* 
Let us try to see what Tremblcy saw. Put the phial 
m a window, and allow it to remain untouched a while, 
i he balls of jelly have all attached themselves, some to the 
glass sides, some to the plant, but they are balls no longer. 
Each is a thread of some half-inch in length, and about 
as thick as small twine, adhering by one extremity ; while 
from the other radiate, like a star, six slender threads 
which are waved irregularly through the water, thrown 
mto spiral coils or various contortions, elongated, contract- 
ed, elongated again, slowly or suddenly, and in different 
Jgrees. Two or three minute water-insects are swimming 
fc dy about ; one of them, as he shoots unconsciously by, 
^ touches one of these slender threads. In an instant 
e Playful course is arrested ; the little thing strives to 
hither 0 hlS Way ’ dragS the flexible cord that holds him 
stretch thither ; redoubles his efforts, pulls away and 
No ! pr ^ we think it must break and free him. 
victim & abdbl -l angler, the Jelly is but wearying his 
• su denly the thread is thrown into corkscrew coils, 
* Johnston, Brit. Zooph. 126. 
