Of the frefj Water Polype. 185 
eafily to be procured, but when they began to fail, he 
was at a lofs to find out other nourifhment for his po¬ 
lypes. 
He went feveral times a day to the water-flde, which 
had before a long time furnifhed him with fleas, and 
{looped down near the furface of the water, endeavouring 
to difcover young ones, but all in vain; neverthelefs in 
feeking thefe he faw feveral places at the bottom of the 
water, with worms all Handing an end, one end of which 
was in the earth,. and the other end out of the earth in 
the water, making continual undulations, fig. 376. He 
thought, as foon at he faw thefe worms, they would 
ferve to nourifh the polypes, and to make up for the fleas 
he wanted, and the millepedes which could at that time 
be found only in fmall quantities; it was with a great deal 
of trouble that he took up fome of thofe worms, which 
he gave to the polypes who eat them. Therefore, to 
procure as many of thefe w r orms as you may have occa- 
fion for, you need only fix a circle of iron wire, two or 
three inches diameter, to the end of a flick, and putting 
this into the water, and about half of it under the earth, 
run it along a little way, always holding it in the famt 
pofltion, and that a little inclined; this will meet the 
worms, and drag them along with it, and bring up a. 
large quantity thereof, ^tvhich on {halting the wire circle 
in a glafs of water, will all fall to the bottom. If the 
ditches where you fifli for thefe worms fhould be coveted 
with leaves and herbs, it is neceflary firft to cleanfe them 
with a rake, before you put in the iron circle, otherwife 
you will get but few w’orms at a time. There are alfo 
other places fo muddy, as to hinder the wire from hold¬ 
ing the worms ; in this cafe it is expedient, that you 
throw upon the mud fome inches of fand, for as the 
%yorms are obliged to keep part of their bodies above 
the 
