279 



where the excrements are excluded. But what makes 

 the most extraordinary part of this animal's confirma- 

 tion, are its horns, and its spines, that point from 

 every part of the body, like the h.>rns of a snail, and 

 that serve at once a:> le^s to move upon, as arms to 

 feel with, and as instruments of capture anvl defence* 

 Between their horns it has also spines that are not en- 

 dued with sucti a share of motion. The spines and 

 the horns issue from every part of ,the bocty, the 

 spines being hard and prickly, the horns being softer, 

 longer than the spines, and never seen except in the 

 water. They are put forward and withdrawn like 

 the horns of a snail, and are hid at the base of the 

 spine, serving as was saM before, for procuring food 

 and motion. All thts apparatus, howevc-r, is only 

 seen when the animal is hunting his pr y at the bot- 

 tom of the wafer ; for a few minutes after it is taken, 

 all the horns are withdrawn into the body, and most 

 of the spines drop off. 



It is generally said of insects, that those which 

 have the greatest nun.ber of legs, always move the 

 slowest; but this anunal seems to be an exception to the 

 rule ; for though furnished with two thousand spines, 

 and twelve hundred horns, all serving for legs, and 

 which from their number seem to impede each other's 

 motion, ^et it runs with some shari: of swiftness at 

 the bottom, and it is same times no easy master to 

 overtake it. 



Very different in motion, though not much different 

 in shape from them, are the Acorn Shell-fish, the 

 Thumb.footfd Shell, fish, and the Imaginary Barnacle* 

 Tiiese are fixed to one spot, and appear to "vegetate 

 from a stalk, indeed, to an inattentive spectator, 

 each actually seems to be a kind of fungus that grows 

 in the deep, destitute of animal life, as well as motion, 

 But the enquirer will soon change his opinion, when 

 he comes to observe this mushroom. like figure more 

 minutely. He will then see that the animal residing 

 -within the shell, has not only life, but some degree of 



