Fhe Bell-Flower Animal. 307 
This is one of the many Kinds of Water 
* 
Animals which live as it were in Societies: 
of which fome Sorts hang together in Cluf- 
ters, but can detach themfelves at Pleafure; 
whilfi others again are fo intimately joined 
and connected together, that no one feems 
capable of moving or changing Place with¬ 
out affedting the Quiet and Situation of all 
the reft. But this Creature forms as it were 
an intermediate Gradation between the other 
t’wo, dwelling in the fame general Habita¬ 
tion with others of its own Species, from 
whence it cannot intirely feparate itfelf; and 
yet therein it appears perfectly at Liberty to 
exert its own voluntary Motions, and can 
either retire into the common Receptacle* 
or pufh itfelf out from thence and expand 
its curious Members, without interfering 
with or diiturbing its Companions. 
They dwell together, from the Number 
of ten to fifteen (feldom exceeding the lat¬ 
ter, or falling fliort of the former Number) 
in a filmy Kind of mucilaginous or gelati¬ 
nous Cafe ; which out of the Water has no 
determined Form, appearing like a little 
Lump of Slime, but when expanded therein, 
refembles nearly the Figure of a Bell with 
the Mouth upwards ; and is ufually about 
the Length of half an Inch, and one Quar¬ 
ter of an Inch in Breadth or Diameter. This 
Cafe being very tranfparent, all the Motions 
of its Inhabitants may be difcerned through 
X z it 
