34 LINN^AN GENERA. 



Lepas Tintinnahulum. — The Little Bell Lepas. 

 Plate V. fig. 2. (Balanus Tintinnabulum, Lamarck.) 

 Shell conical, with the valves strongly and irregularly 

 ribbed, interstices delicately striated transversely; colour 

 purple. Inhabits the West Indies. 



Those described aboTe are termed Acorn Shells in Britain. This 

 f^enus consists of two families or divisions, very different in their 

 shape. The first of these is composed of the Balani, or Acorn shells, 

 of a subconic form, with an operculum or lid, consisting of either four 

 or six valves ; the body of the shell with six valves. The second family 

 is that of the Anatiferous, or Barnacles, which are connected mth, 

 and supported at the base by, a tendinous tube or pedicle, of a flexible 

 nature, allowing the animal to writhe about in quest of food ; it has 

 no operculxun, is wedge-shaped, and consists of five or more unequal 

 valves. 



Lepas anatifera.—TRB Common Smooth Lepas. Plate I. 

 fig. 2. ( Anatifa laevis, Lamarck.) Shell compressed with five 

 obsoletely striated valves ; the lower valves somewhat tri- 

 angular ; the superior ones long, and tapering to an obtuse 

 point ; connected by an orange-coloured cartilage ; base affixed 

 to a peduncle of a colour between vermilion and orange. 



This shell generally adheres to pieces of rotten wood or the bottoms 

 of vessels, and is found in almost all seas. 



Linnajus founded the name of this shell on the circumstance that 

 it was fi-om it that the Barnacle Goose was supposed to ha^e had its 

 origin. Gerard's account of this transformation, as it aftbrds a re- 

 markable instance of the credulity of the times, is too curious to be 

 omitted. " There are found in the north parts of Scotland, and the 

 islands adjacent called Orchades, certain trees whereon do grow cer- 

 tain shells tending to russet, wherein are contained little li^^ng crea- 

 tures, which shells in time of matm-itie do open, and out of them grow 

 those little living things, which falling into the water do become 

 fowles, which we call Barnacles ; in the north of England Brant Geese ; 

 and in Lancashire, Tree Geese ; but the others that do fall upon the 

 land perish and come to nothing. Thus much from the writings of 

 others, and also from the mouths of people of those parts, which may 

 very well accord with truth. 



" But what our eyes have scene and hands have touched we shall 

 declare. There is a small island in Lancashire called the HiU of 

 Flounders, wherein are found in the broken pieces of old ships, some 

 whereof have been cast thither by shipracke, and also the ti-unks and 

 bodies with the branches of old and rotten trees, cast up there like- 

 wise : whereon is found a certain spume or froth that in time breedith 

 into certain shells, in shape like those of the Muskle, but sharpe? 



