FRESH-WATER POLYPE. 
6*15 
give birth to new generations, or fresh genealogical 
trees. 
The polype possesses a most remarkable repro- 
ductive power, and seems to bid defiance to the 
* 
knife ; which only separates its limbs to make them 
rise again with redoubled vigour. Other animals are 
capable of renewing certain parts, and snails will even 
reproduce a head ; but these phenomena are not 
to be compared with what the polype can execute. 
This animal exceeds the fabulous relation of the 
Lernean hydra; for, when divided in every direction, 
it will not only exist, but produce a perfect animal 
from every mutilated part. This species of fecun- 
dity is so great in these animals, that even a small 
piece of their skin will become a little polype, a 
new animal rising as it were from the reins of the 
old. If the young ©nes which grow from the sides 
of the parent are deprived of any part of their 
bodies, the injury will be soon repaired, and the 
creatures become as perfect as ever. The same 
thing takes place with the parent, which will even 
put forth young before its mutilated parts are re- 
produced. 
Astonishing as this may appear, to those persons 
who have been unaccustomed to consider the sub- 
ject, it is strictly true : the facts do not rest merely 
on the authority of Trembley; they have been 
proved by others, who have repeated his experi- 
ments ; we shall therefore proceed without hesita- 
tion to relate some of the most striking instances 
of the reproductive power of this little animal. 
