( ^ 



their former animated (late. To 

 examine the nature and properties 

 of thefe beings, it is neceffary to 

 preferve them in a large glafs filled 

 with fea water, which iliould be 

 changed daily. The Aftinia, Af- 

 cidia, and many others, might be 

 inveftigated by the fame means, and 

 much pleafure and improvement 

 in the knowledge of the ways of 

 thefe creatures derived therefrom. 



We are now come to the Afte- 

 rias; an animal apparently poiTeiling 

 ftronger animal fundlions and pro- 

 perties, than the preceding genus, 

 though it's motion is flow, when 

 we conlider the number of fafciculi 

 which furround its rays, and ferve 

 the animal as feet, by which means 

 it moves either fideways, backward 

 or forward, and in any diredion 

 the creature requires ; with them it 

 likewife clings to the rocks, and 

 preferves itfelf from being dafhed 

 about by the tempeftuous waves. 

 They are likewife as tentacula to 

 the animal, with which it feizes 

 its prey, and conveys it to the 

 mouth ; their rays are of fo brittle 

 a nature, as eafily to be broke oif, 

 but in time they grow again, as 

 the claws of Crabs and Lobfters do, 

 when lofl:. It fubfifts on young 

 Crabs, fmall fliell fiih, &c. 



The Echinus is an extraordinary 

 creature, though common -, armed 



ili ) 



miner k nature et les proprie'tSs il 

 les faut conferver dans un grand 

 vaifieau de verre plein de maree-, 

 qu'on devroit renouveller tous les 

 jours. L'Adlinie, I'Afcidie et 

 beaucoup d'autres pourroient s'ex- 

 aminer, de la meme maniere, et 

 donneroient des connoiffances tten- 

 dues fur les qualites de ces etres 

 divers. 



Nous venons maintenant a I'E- 

 toile de Mer, qui fcmble pofieder 

 en un degre plus eminent les fonc- 

 tions et les proprietes de Ijl vie 

 animale, bien que fon mouvement 

 foit lent, a confiderer le nombre 

 de fiilceaux qui environnent fes 

 rayons et kii fervent de pattes pour 

 fe porter en av.int, en arricre, de 

 cote, et en tous fens. C'eft aufli 

 par leur moyen qu'elle s'accroche 

 aux rochers et fe garantit d'y ctre 

 froilfee par la violence des vagues. 

 Ce font aulli de plus autant de ta- 

 toirs qui fervent a cet animal a 

 fiifir fi proie et a la porter a fa 

 bouche. Ses rayons font fi fragiles 

 que la moindre chofe les brifej 

 mais ils reviennent avec le terns, 

 con)me font les pattes des Crabes 

 et des Ecrevices de Mer. Elle 

 fait fa nourriture de jeunes Crabes, 

 de menus coquillages, (5cc. 



L'Ourfln ou HerilTon de Mer 

 eft un animal lingulier quoique 



e with 



