They are preferred beft in large glaffes, that hold three or four
quarts of water; for in a glafs o f this fize the water need not be
renewed fo often, particularly "if the faeces are taken out from
time to time with the feathered end o f a pen, to which it readily
adheres • and further, the trouble o f feeding each individual is in
fome meafure faved, as you need only throw in a parcel of
■ worms, and let the polypes divide them for themfelves.
T o obferve with accuracy the various habitudes, pofitions, &c.
of this little animal, it will be neceffary to place fome of them in
narrow cylindrical glafies; then,' by means of the microfcope,
Fi? q Plate VI. you may obferve it exerting all it’s actions of life
with eafe and convenience; the facility with which the lens of
the fore-mentioned microfcope may be moved and placed m
any direffion, renders it a mod convenient mftrument for examining
any objeft that requires to be viewed in water.
It is alfo very proper to dry fome of them, and place them e-
tween talcs in a Aider; this however requires fome dexterity, and a
little praftice ; tho’ when executed with fuccefs, it fully rewards
the pains o f the obferver. Chufe a proper polype, and put it m a
fmall concave lens, with a drop of water ; when it is x x tende ,
and the tail fixed, pour off a little of the water, and then plunge
it with the concave into fome fpirit of wine contained m the bowl
o f a large fpoon; by this it is inftantly killed, the arms and body
contracting more or le fs; rub it gently, while in fpmts, with a
fmall hair pencil, to cleanfe it from the lice.
The difficulty now begins; for the parts of the polype, on
being taken out o f the fpirits, immediately cling together, fo that
ft is not practicable to extend the body, and feparate the arms on
1 tak P without tearing them to pieces : fo that the only method
to adjuft them upon the talc while in the fpmts; this may be
d; ne by flipping the talc under the body of the polype, while
fies in the fpirits, and d e la y in g it’s arms thereon by the fmall
hair pencil and a pair of nippers; then lift the talc with the
polype upon it, out of the fpirits ; take hold of it with the nippers
the left hand, dip the pencil m the fpmts with the rig
L nd and therewith difpofe of the feveral parts, that they may
S B ‘ c o n v a ie » m.n«*, « * e fame time bru ttag away ,ny
ie , r on the talc ; now let it dry, which it
!;CC t- ^ m l e time and place the talc carefully in the hole o f
the Aider T o pre^nt the upper talc and ring preffing on the
the hide . p ieces Df Cork, about the bignefs o f a
polype, you polype, and fix them by gum
pin’s head, and the <teP* o f U« p , yp^, g ^ ^ ^
in V - T ^ o ^ U hole itfelf; the upper talc may
E C S d on thefe corks, and preffed down by the ring as
ufual. *
O f V e g e t a b l e s .
T wiffi I could give the reader a fatisfaftory account of all the
I with i cornu g for the microlcope the obpreparations
which are requ who
has handled this fubjeft. I . what he has
i n *
Baker, on the Polypes.