184 Of the frejh Water Polype. 
concave, in which part of the flea is lodged, as at a, fig. 
370. the lips continue to enlarge, till they included the 
puceron, and then entirely clofe themfelves again. 
The polypes are not content with two or three of 
thefe pucerons, but will continue to fwallow them till 
the fides of their ftomach are fo increafed, as to contain 
two of thefe fleas in breadth one by the fide of the other, 
as at fig. 371. which was abfolutely full from head to 
tail. If it be one of the third fort, the narrow part of its 
body b d, fig. 372. generally remains empty, but Some¬ 
times this alfo is forced to increafe and receive fome of 
thofe fleas. When the polype hath Swallowed no more 
of thefe fleas than can be contained within its ftomach ; 
its body, in that cafe, becomes very fmall near the head, 
and forms in that place a kind of remarkable neck c, 
%• 373 - 
If a number of thefe little fleas be haflily thrown into 
a orjafs of hungry polypes, their arms are foon fo loaded 
with them, that one can fee nothing but a confufed mafs 
of thefe pucerons gathered together, near the polype’s 
mouth a, fig. 375. which they fwallow one after another 
till they are entirely full. 
So long as thefe pucerons could be procured, he fed 
his polypes with nothing elfe : his method of fiftiing them 
out of the water, was with a fmall hoop, of about eight 
or ten inches diameter, made of brafs, or iron wire, to 
which was fattened a pouch of linen cloth, and the 
whole tied to the end of a flick. This being put flope- 
wife into the water, where there is a quantity of thefe 
animals, may be eafily moved to and fro, any way you 
fee occafion, by which means the fleas will be gathered 
together into the hoop. You may then put them into a 
glafs of water, which will Swarm therewith from the be¬ 
ginning of June to the end of September ; thefe were 
