A Polypus may also be cut in two, lengthways. Beginning by the Head, one first splits the said Head, and afterwards the Stomach: The Polypus being in the Form of a Pipe, each Half of what is thus cut lengthways forms a Half-pipe; the anterior Extremity of which is terminated by the half of the Head, the half of the Mouth, and Part of the Arms. It is not long before the two Edges of those Half-pipes close, after the Operation: They generally begin at the posterior Part, and close up by degrees to the anterior Part. Then, each Half-pipe becomes a Whole-one, complete;A Stomach is formed, in which nothing is wanting; and out of each Half-mouth a whole-one is formed also.

I HAVE seen all this done in less than an Hour; and that the Poly 'pus (22) pus, produced from each of those Halves, at the End of that time did not differ from the Whole-ones, except that it had fewer Arms; but in a few Days more grew out.

I HAVE cut a Polypus, length ways, between Seven and Eight in the Morning; and between Two and Three in the Afternoon, each of the Parts has been able to eat a Worm as long as itself.

IF a Polypus is cut lengthways, beginning at the Head, and the Section is not carried quite through; the Result is, a Polypus with two Bodies, two Heads, and one Tail. Some of those Bodies and Heads may again be cut, lengthways, soon after. In this manner I have produced a Polypus that had seven Bodies, as many Heads, and one Tail. I afterwards, at once, cut off the seven Head of this new 'Hydra: (23) Hydra: Seven others grew again; and the Heads, that were cut off, became each a complete Polypus.

I CUT a Polypus, transversly, into two Parts: I put these two Parts close to each other again, and they reunited where they had been cut. The Polypus, thus reunited, eat the Day after it had undergone this Operation: It is since grown, and has multiplied.

I took the posterior Part of one Polypus, and the anterior of ano ther, and I have brought them to reunite in the same manner as the foregoing. Next Day, the Polypus that resulted, eat: It has continued well these two Months, since the Operation: It is grown, and has put forth Young-ones, from each of the Parts of which it was formed. The two foregoing Experiments do not always succeed; it often hap 'pens, (24) pens, that the two Parts will not join again.

IN order to comprehend the Experiment I am now going to speak of, one should recollect, that the whole Body of a Polypus forms only one Pipe, a sort of Gut, or Pouch.

I have been able to turn that Pouch, that Body of the Polypus, INSIDE-OUTWARDS; AS ONE MAY TURN A STOCKING.

I HAVE several by me, that have remained turned in this manner; THEIR INSIDE IS BECOME THEIR OUTSIDE, AND THEIR OUTSIDE THEIR INSIDE: They eat, they grow, and they multiply, as if they had never been turned.

Now in the Division and Subdivision of our Chrysipus, we are forced to (25) to proceed in quite a different manner; namely, by the Metabolic or Mutative, not by the Schystic or Divisive. Some have indeed at tempted this latter Method; but, like that great Philosopher the Elder Pliny, they have perished in their Disquisitions, as he did, by Suffocation. Indeed there is a Method called the Kleptistic, which hath been preferred to the Metabolic: But this is too dangerous; the Ingenious Gualterus never carried it farther than the Metabolic, conventing himself sometimes to divide the original Chrysipus into twenty two Parts, and again to subdivide these into twenty-five; but this requires great Art.

It can’t be doubted by that Mr. Trembley will, in the Work he is pleased to promise us, give some Account of the Longevity of the Polypyus. As to the Age of the D Chry (26) Chrysipus, it differs extremely; some being of equal Duration with the Life of Man, and some of scarce a Moment’s Existence. The best Method of preserving them, is, I believe, in Bags or Chests, in large Numbers; for they sel dom live long when they are alone. The Great Galterus says, he thought he could never put enough of them together. If you carry them in your Pockets singly, or in Pairs, as some do, they will last a very little while, and in some Pockets not a Day.

pag. 12.WE are told of the Polypus, That they are to be look’d for in such Ditches whose Water is stock’d with small Insects. Pieces of Wood, Leaves, aquatic Plants, in short, every thing is to be taken out of the Water, that is met with at the Bottom, or on the Surface of the Water, on the Edges, and in 'the (27) the Middle of the ditches. What is thus taken out, must be put into a Glass of clear Water, and these Insects, if there are any, will soon discover themselves; especially if the Glass is let stand a little, without moving it: for thus the Insecs, which contract themselves when they are first taken out, will again extend themselves when they are at Rest, and become thereby so much the more re markable.

The Chrysipus is to be look’d for in Scrutores, and behind Wainscotes in old Houses. In searching for them, particular Regard is to be had to the Persons who inhabit, or have inhabited in the same Houses, by observing which Rule, you may often prevent throwing away your Labour. They love to be rather with old than young Persons, and detest Finery so much, D2 that (28) that they are seldom to be found in the Pockets of laced Clothes, and hardly ever in gilded Palaces. They are sometimes very difficult to be met with, even though you know where they are, by reason of Pieces of Wood, Iron, &c. which must be removed away before you can come at them. There are, however, several sure Methods of procuring them, which are all ascertained in a Treatise on that Subject, composed by Petrus Gualterus, which, now he is dead, will shortly see the Light.

I come now, in the last Place, to speak of the Virtues of the Chrysipus; In these if exceeds not only the Polypus, of which not a single Virtue is recorded, but all other Animals and Vegetables whatever. Indeed I intend here only to set down some of its chief Qualities; for to enu merate (29) merate all, would require a large Volume.

First, then, A single Chrysipus stuck on to the Finger, will make a Man talk for a full Hour, nay will make him say whatever the Person who sticks it on desires: And again, if you desire Silence, it will as effactually stop the most loquacious Tongue. Sometimes, indeed, one or two, or even twenty, are not sufficient; but if you apply the proper Number, they seldom or never fail of Success. It will likewise make Men blind or deaf, as you think proper; and all this without doing the least Injury to the several Organs.

Secondly, IT hath a most miracu lous Quality of turning Black into White, or White into Black. Indeed it hath the Powers of the Prismatic Glass, and can, from any Object, (30) Object, reflect what Colour it pleases.

Thirdly, IT is the strongest Love Powder in the World, and hath such Efficacy on the Female Sex, that it hath often produced Love in the finest Women to the most worthless and ugly, old and decrepit of our Sex.

To give the strongest Idea in one Instance, of the salubrious Quality of the Chrysipus; It is a Medicine which the Physicians are so fond of taking themselves, that few of them care to visit a Patient, without swallowing a Dose of it.

To conclude; Facts like these I have related, to be admitted, require the most convincing Proofs. I venture to say, I am able to produce such Proofs. In the mean time, (31) time, I refer my curious Reader to the Treatise I have above mentioned, which is not yet published, and perhaps never may.