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CLASS XII. ACALEPHA. 



Remarks. These animals are often called sea- 

 nettles ; because it is said that a stinging sensa- 

 tion is often excited while handling them. They 

 are the largest of the zoophytes. If there is such 

 an animal as that described by seamen, under the 

 name of kraken, it probably belongs to this class ; 

 though some suppose it may be a species of the 

 sepia, of the class Mollusca, order Nudata, The 

 bodies of animals of this class are soft, fleshy or 

 gelatinous. In some we perceive something of a 

 fibrous structure ; others appear to be mere gela- 

 tinous masses. 



ORDER i. AFF1XA. 



Having the habit and power of attaching them- 

 selves by their bases to resting places. 



ACTINIA, (sea-anemone, sea-dasie,) body ob- 

 long, cylindrical, fleshy, contractile, fixed by the 

 base ; mouth terminal, expansile, surrounded 

 with numerous cirri, and without any other aper 

 ture. In sea. 



LUCERNARIA, body gelatinous, wrinkled, branch- 

 ed ; mouth placed beneath. 



ORDER 2. LIBERATA. 



Never fixing themselves to a resting place, but 

 floating or swimming upon water, by the specific 

 levity of particular parts, or by air-bubbles contain- 

 ed in them. 



