An attempt towards a natural history of the polype : in a letter to Martin Folkes / By Henry Baker.

  • Baker, Henry, 1698-1774.
Date:
1743
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An attempt towards a natural history of the polype : in a letter to Martin Folkes / By Henry Baker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    to my good and worthy Friend Dr. James Parsons, F. R. S. who, together with an unbounded Curiofity, a fincere Love of Knowledge, and a penetrating found Judg¬ ment, is peculiarly happy in being capable of giving his Ideas a Reality by the Excellence of his Pencil. As aDivifion into Chapters will render what follows more ufeful than it would be other- wife, I fhall make no Apology for fo doing. CHAP. I. The General Appearances and Motions of the Po L Y P E. 1I7H E N we examine any living Animal, the firft thing that naturally prefents itfelf to our Qbfervation, is its Form or Shape: but this wonderful little Creature fhifts its Pofture fo often, that it is difficult to afcertain its real Form, and would be a!~ moft endlefs to defcribe the feveral Change! thereof. The moft frequent is that of ex¬ tending and contracting its Body and Horns, or rather Arms*; which it can perform, to fuch a Degree, as to render itfelf ten or twelve Times longer at one time than another. It ufually faftens by the Tail, either to the Bot- * As thefe Parts ferve the Purpofes of Arms rather than Horns; I fhall dyife all along to call them by that Name. tom