360 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
its manner of lengthening or contracting itself more resem- 
bles that of the snail titan worms, or any other insect. The 
polypus contracts itself more or less, in proportion as it is 
touched, or as the water is agitated in which they are seen. 
Warmth animates them, and cold benumbs them ; but it re- 
quires a degree of cold approaching congelation, before they 
are reduced to perfect inactivity ; those ot an inch have gene- 
rally their arms double, often thrice as long as their bodies. 
The arms, where the animal is not disturbed, and the season 
not unfavourable, are thrown about in various directions, in 
order to seize and entangle its prey; sometimes three or four of 
the arms are thus employed, while the rest are contracted like 
theliornsofa snail, within the animal’s body. Itseems capable 
of giving what length it pleases to these arms ; it contracts 
and extends them at pleasure, and stretches them only in 
proportion to the remoteness of the object it would seize. 
These animals have a progressive motion, which is per- 
formed by the power they have of lengthening and contract- 
ing themselves at pleasure ; they go from one part of the bot- 
tom to another; they mount along the margin of the water, 
and climb up the side of aquatic plants. They often are 
seen to come to the surface of the water, where they suspend 
themselves by their lower end. As they advance but very 
slowly, they employ a great deal of time in every action, and 
bind themselves very strongly to whatever body they chance 
to move upon as they proceed ; their adhesion is voluntary, 
and is probably performed in the manner of a cupping-glass 
applied to the body. 
All animals of this kind have a remarkable propensity to 
turn towards the light, and this naturally might induce an 
inquirer to look for their eyes ; but however carefully this 
search has been pursued, and however excellent the micro- 
scope with which every part was examined, yet nothing °r 
the appearance of this organ was found over the whole 
body : and it is most probable, that, like several other insects, 
which hunt their prey by their feeling, these creatures are 
unfurnished with advantages which would be totally useless 
for their support. 
In the centre of the arms, it was said before, the mouth 
placed, which the animal can open and shut at pleasure, ana 
this serves at once as a passage for food, and an opening for 11 
after digestion. The inward part of the animal’s body seevn s 
to be one great stomach, which is open at both ends ; but the 
purposes which the opening at the bottom serves are hi- 
therto unknown, but certainly not for excluding their excre- 
ments, for these are ejected at the aperture by which they a r ® 
