200 * Of the frejh Water Polype. 
the point of an hair pencil, firft dipped in water, upon 
which it may be applied to the microfcope; or if the 
papers are thrown into a glafs of water, the divided pieces 
will foon fall from them. 
The fid'es of a polype cut longitudinally, roll them- 
felves up different ways, generally beginning from one 
6 f their extremities, as at fig. 402. and turns the out-fide 
of the fkin inwards ; after fome time it unrolls, and the 
out-fide forms itfelf into a tube, whereof the edges a b, 
and e i, fig. 403. on both fides meet each other, and re¬ 
unite themfelves ; fometimes they begin to join at the 
tail end, at other times they gradually approach all at 
once; when they begin to unite at one end, it is eafy to 
diftinguifh that portion which is joined c i b, from that 
which is not joined c a e, fig. 404. 
The fides join fo clofe, that from the firft moment no 
Fear can be feen ; after which they become compleat po¬ 
lypes, but with a lefs number of arms, and that in an 
hour’s time, and in twenty-four hours will feize and 
devour a worm; in a few days other arms {hoot and be¬ 
come as long as the reft. 
Mr. Trembley cut a polype into four parts length-wife, 
as follows : after having cut it in two, in the manner juft 
{hewn, he cut each of thefe into two alfo. Thefe four 
portions of the fame polype, had each of them fix arms, 
within fix days after the fedtion; and feven in four 
weeks ; they all eat and multiplied. 
When a pregnant polype is cut length-wife, the young 
ones continue to grow after the fedtion. 
He hath alfo cut a polype length-wife, and directly 
after cut the fame tranfverfiy? and each of thefe four quar¬ 
ters became compleat polypes. 
He 
*, Hill, de Polype, p. 247, 
