The Figure of the TERRESTRIAL CHRYSIPUS sticking to a Finger.

Observations and Experiments upon the TERRESTRIAL CHRYSIPUS, or GUINEA, by Mynheer Petrus Gual

terus.

Translated from the FRENCH by P. H. I. Z. C. G. S.

THE animal in question is a terrestrial vegetable or insect, of which mention is made in the Philosophical Transactions for several years, as may be seen in N° 000. Art. 0000. and N° 00. Art. 002. and N° Art. 18.

This animal or vegetable is of a rotund, orbicular, or round form, as represented in the figure annexed; in which A, denotes the ruffle; B, the hand; g, the thumb of that hand; d, the finger; e, the part of that finger to which the CHRYSIPUS sticks: f, f, f, f, four tubes, representing the Πέος, * Пéos, or man's staff, mentioned by Galen in his Treatise de Usu Partium; and by Aristotle, in that

* See Philos. Transact. concerning the arbor rita, anno 1732.

little book called his 'Apxßßiór, or Master-piece. The To Onλuxov, or woman's pipe, an oblong perforated substance, to which the said I directly tend, is represented by the letter C. The mouth of the Chrysipus is in this anteriour middle, it opens into the stomach, which takes up the whole length of the body. The whole body forms but one pipe, a sort of gut, which can be opened but at one end, i. e. at letter C.

The size of the body of a Chrysipus varies according to its different species.

I know two species only, differing in extent almost one-half; which, for distinction sake, I call the whole Chrysipus, and the hemi-Chrysipus. The latter of these is by no means so valuable as the former. The length of the II differ likewise in proportion to the different size or extension of these two.

The П of those of a modern growth are so imperfect and invisible to the naked eye, that it is much to be feared the species will soon be entirely lost among us; and, indeed, in England, they are observed of late to be much rarer than formerly, especially in the country, where at present there are very few of them to be found; but at the same time it is remarked, that in some places of the Continent, particularly in a certain part of Germany, they are much plentier; being to be found in great numbers, where formerly there were scarce any to be met with.

I have not, after the minutest observation, been able to settle with any degree of certainty, whether this be really an animal or vegetable, or whether it be not strictly neither, or rather both. For as I have, by the help of my microscope, discovered some of its parts to resemble those of a lion; I have at other times taken notice of something not unlike the Flower-de-luce. Not to repeat those parts abovementioned, which bear great analogy to the "Adea of the human body. On their ex

tremities (if they are not very old) may be seen certain letters forming the names of several of our kings; whence I have been almost inclined to conclude, that these are the flowers mentioned by Virgil, and which appear to have been so extremely scarce in his time.

Dic quibus in terris inscripti nomina regum
Nascuntur flores.

Particularly as he adds,

Et Phyllida solus habeto.

Of which we shall take notice hereafter, when we come to speak of its properties. What hath principally dissuaded me from an opinion of its being an animal, is, that I could never observe any symptoms of voluntary motion; but indeed the same may be said of an oyster, which I think is not yet settled by the learned to be absolutely a vegetable.

But though it hath not, or seems not to have any progressive motion of its own, yet is it very easy to communicate a motion to it. Indeed, some persons have made them fly all over the town with great volocity.

What is said of the Polypus, in a late excellent paper cummunicated to the Royal Society, is likewise applicable to the Chrysipus.

"They make use of their progressive motion, "when communicated to them, to place them"selves conveniently, so as to catch their prey. '66 They are voracious animals; their II are so many snares which they set for numbers of small "insects. As soon as any of them touches one of "the II, it is caught."

But then it differs from the Polypus in the consequence; for instead of making the insect its prey, it becomes itself a prey to it, and instead of conveying an insect twice as large as its own mouth into it, in imitation of the Polypus, the

poor Chrysipus is itself conveyed into the Loculus or pouch of an insect a thousand times as large as itself. Notwithstanding which, this wretched animal (for so I think we may be allowed to call it) is so eager after its prey, that if the insect (which seldom happens) makes any resistance, it summons other Chrysipi to its aid, which in the end hardly ever fail of subduing it, and getting into its pouch. The learned Gualterus goes on in these words: "A Chrysipus, by the simple contact of my own finger, has so closely attached itself to my hand, "that by the joint and indefatigable labour of "several of my friends, it could by no means be "severed, or made to quit its hold.”

As to the generation of the Chrysipus, it differs from all other animals or vegetables whatever; for though it seems the best supplied for this natural function, nature having provided each female part with four male ones, which one would think sufficient; yet it may be said, as of the Polypus, they have no distinguished place by which they bring forth their young.

Gualterus judiciously remarks:* "I have (says "he) some of them, that have greatly multiplied "under my eyes, and of which I might almost say, "that they have produced young ones from all "the exterior parts of their body.

"I have learned by a continual attention to the "two species of them, that all the individuals of "these species produce young ones.

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"I have for sixty years had under my eye thou"sands of them; and though I have OBSERVED THEM CONSTANTLY, and with ATTENTION, SO "as to watch them night and day, I never ob"served any thing like the common animal-copulation.

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"I tried at first two of them; but these I found "would not produce a complete Chrysipus; at least

* Vid. Remarks on the Polypus, pag. 6.

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"I had reason to think the operation would be so "slow, that I must have waited some years for its "completion. Upon this, I tried a hundred of "them together; by whose marvellous union (whether it be, that they mix total, like those heavenly spirits mentioned by Milton, or by any "other process not yet revealed to human wit) they were found in the year's end to produce three, four, and sometimes five complete Chrysipi. "I have indeed often made them in that space produce ten or twenty; but this hath been by some held a dangerous experiment, not only to "the parent Chrysipi themselves, which have by "these means been utterly lost and destroyed, "but even to the philosopher who hath attempted

it; for as some curious persons have, by hermetic "experiments, endangered the loss of their teeth, "so we, by a too intense application to this Chrysipean philosophy, have been sometimes found. "to endanger our cars." He then proceeds thus: *"Another fact, which I have observed, has "proved to me, that they have the faculty of multiplying, before they are severed from their parent. "I have seen a Chrysipus, still adhering, bring "forth young ones; and those young ones them"selves have also brought forth others. Upon

supposition, that perhaps there was some copula"tion between the parent and young ones, whilst they were yet united; or between the young "ones coming from the body of the same parent; "I made divers experiments to be sure of the fact; "but not one of those experiments ever led me to

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any thing that could give the idea of a copu"lation."

I now proceed to the singularities resulting from the operation I have tried upon them.

A Chrysipus of the larger kind may be divided into one-and-twenty substances (whether animal

Remarks, pag. 7.