in every poffible manner, at length inconteftibly pro¬ 
ved the truth of their furprifing, and feemingly impof- 
fible properties. 
As it is the intention of this work to give as fhort 
deferiptions as the nature of the fubjedt can admit ofj 
we ihall, in our account of this animal, only relate in 
very plain and brief terms the general hiftory of the 
creature. 
The Polype is an aquatic animal, of which there are 
feveral fpecies : of thefe one of the molt common is 
that reprefented on the annexed plate ; viz. the Green 
Polype, or Hydra Viridis of Linnaeus. It is a native 
of clear waters, and may generally be found in great 
plenty in fmall ditches and trenches of fields ; efpeci- 
ally in the months of April and May. It affixes itfelf 
by the tail to the under part of the leaves, and to the 
flalks of luch vegetables as happen to grow immerfed 
in the fame water. The animal confills of a long tu¬ 
bular body, the head of which is furniffied with eight, 
and fometimes ten long arms, or tentacula, which fur- 
round the mouth or opening. It is capable of con¬ 
tracting its body in a very fudden manner when dis¬ 
turbed ; fo as to appear only like a roundifh green 
fpot; and when the danger is over, it again extends 
itfelf as befoj-e. It is of an extremely predacious na¬ 
ture, and feeds on the various fpecies of fmall worms, 
and other water-animals which happen to approach t 
when any animal of this kind paffes near the Polype, 
it fuddenly catches it with its arms, and dragging it 
to its mouth, fwallows it gradually in the fame man¬ 
ner as a fnake fwallows a frog. The Polype has no 
anus 
