362 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
continue swallowing each his part, until their mouths meet 
together ; they then each rest, for some time in this situation, 
till the worm breaks between them, and each goes oft with 
his share; but it often happens that a seemingly more dan- 
gerous combat ensues, when t lie mouths of both are thus 
joined upon one common prey together ; the largest poly- 
pus then gapes and swallows his antagonist; but what is 
very wonderful, the animal thus swallowed seems to be 
rather a gainer by the misfortune. After it lias lain in the 
conqueror’s body for about an hour, it issues unhurt, and 
often in possession of the prey which had been the original 
cause of contention ; how happy would it be for men, it 
they had as little to fear from each other ! 
These reptiles continue eating the whole year, except when 
the cold approaches to congelation ; and then, like most 
others of the insect tribe, they (eel the general torpor of na- 
ture, and all their faculties are for l wo or .three months sus- 
pended ; but if they abstain at one time, they are equally 
voracious at another; and, like snakes, ants, and other ani- 
mals that are torpid in the winter, the meal of one day suf- 
fices them for several months together In general, however, 
they devour more largely in proportion to their size, and 
their growth is quick according as they are fed ; sucli as are 
best supplied, soonest acquire their largest size; but they 
diminish also in their growth with the same facility, it their 
food be taken away. 
Sucli are the more obvious properties of these little ani- 
mals, but the most wonderful still remain behind. Their 
manner of propagation, or rather multiplication, has for some 
years been the astonishment of all the learned of Europe. 
They are produced in as great a variety of manner, as the dif- 
ferent species of vegetables. Some polypi are propagated 
from eggs, as plants are from their seeds ; some are pro- 
duced by buds issuing from their bodies, while all may be 
multiplied by cuttings, and this to a degree of minuteness 
that exceeds even philosophical perseverance. 
With respect to such of this kind as are hatched from the 
egg, little that is curious can he added ; but with regard to 
such as are produced like buds, from their parent stem, or 
like cuttings from an original root, their history requires a 
more detailed explanation. If a polypus be carefully ob- 
served in summer, when these animals are chiefly active, and 
more particularly prepared for propagation, it will be found 
to send forth, from different parts of its body, several tuber- 
cles, or little knobs, which grow larger and larger every day 5 
after two or three days inspection, what at first appeared but 
