490 CLASS ECHINODERMATA. 
of which probably serve as suckers, others perhaps as ovaries, 
and others, longer than the rest, as tentacula, unite them- 
selves to these vesicular parts, to compose the whole apparent 
organization of these animals. ‘There is no mouth that can 
properly be recognized as such. 
PHYSALIA, Zam., 
Consist of a very large oblong vesicle, raised above into a 
projecting crest, oblique and wrinkled, and furnished under- 
neath, towards one of its extremities, with a great number of 
cylindrical fleshy productions, which communicate with the 
vesicle, and terminate variously. ‘Those towards the centre 
support groups, more or less numerous, of small filaments ; 
those towards the sides are only bifurcated into two filaments, 
one of which is often very much prolonged. One of the ex- 
tremities of the vesicle appears to have a very small orifice. 
But in the interior, we find, instead of intestine, only another 
vesicle, with more slender parietes, and which has some ceeca 
extending partly into the cavities of the crest. For the rest, 
there is neither nervous, nor circulating, nor glandular system. 
The animal swims on the surface of the sea when it is calm, 
and employs its crest as a sail. It also has, in the living 
state, some very long filaments, more slender than the others, 
and sown, as it were, with pearls, or little drops. It is re- 
ported that their touch stings like that of the nettle. 
There are some in all the seas of warm climates. (Holo- 
thuria Physalis, L., &c. &c. &c.) 
PHYSSOPHORA, Forshk., 
Have sensible relations with the Physalia ; but their bladder 
is much smaller in proportion, without a crest, often accom- 
panied with lateral vesicles, and their various and numerous 
tentacula are suspended vertically under this vesicle, as a 
garland or a cluster of grapes. 
