LECTURE X. 143 



riously branched arms, forming the appearance of 

 so many clusters : the animal is chiefly a native of 

 the northern seas. 



A much more remarkable species is the Holo- 

 thuria Phy sails of Linnaeus, generally known to- 

 sailors by the name of the Portuguese Man of War. 

 It may be considered as one of the most curious of 

 all the Mollusca, and resembles in shape an ob- 

 long transparent bladder, several inches in length, 

 gharp at one end, and somewhat rounded at the 

 other ; of a pale purple colour, with deeper veins 

 or ramifications : along the upper part runs a 

 slightly elevated ridge or crest, somewhat undulated 

 or notched on the outline, while from beneath 

 the large or obtuse end of the animal hang down, 

 in a perpendicular direction, a great many string- 

 shaped feelers or processes of a deep purple co- 

 lour, and of different lengths : lastly, the edges of 

 the body beneath, are surrounded by a series of 

 short or abrupt processes of a deep purplish-brown 

 colour. The appearance of the \vhole is in the> 

 highest degree singular and elegant. From hav- 

 ing examined a very fine drawing of this animal, 

 in its living or recent state, by an artist of great 

 talent, I am enabled to give its description with 



