City Readers Digital Historic Collections at the New York Society Library

Henry Baker

An attempt towards a natural history of the polype: in a letter to Martin Folkes, Esq; president of the Royal Society. Describing Their different Species; the Places where to seek and how to find them; their wonderful Production and Increase; the Form, Structure and Use of their several Parts; and the Manner they catch their Prey. With an Account of their Diseases and Cures; of their amazing Reproduction after being cut in Pieces, (as first discovered by Mr. Trembley, at the Hague;) of the best Methods to perform that Operation, and of the Time requisite to perfect the several Parts after being divided: And Also full Directions how to feed, clean, manage and preserve them at all Seasons of the Year. Likewise a Course of real Experiments, performed by cutting these Creatures in every Way that can be easily contrived: shewing the daily Progress of each Part towards becoming a perfect Polype.