LECTURE XL 185 



often with a cast of flesh-colour ; and is composed 

 of about five valves; the two on each side being 

 largest, and the fifth or back valve being slender 

 or narrow. From the front of the shell hang out 

 the curved tentacula, of a somewhat dusky colour, 

 and resembling the shape of a plume of feathers. 

 Among the numerous errors with which Natural 

 History was formerly encumbered, there prevailed 

 an idea that the Bird called the Barnacle goose 

 was not produced like other birds, from an egg, 

 but that it derived its origin from this shell. This 

 error, gross and absurd as it w r as, seems to have 

 met with credit from authors who should have 

 viewed objects of this nature with other eyes than 

 those of the vulgar. It was supposed by these phi- 

 losophers that the inhabitant of this shell was an 

 immature bird, or young of the above-mentioned 

 goose, which, after having attained its plumage, li- 

 berated itself from the confinement of its shell, and 

 dropped into the water. The numerous tentacula 

 or arms of the inhabiting animal, which are disposed 

 in a semicircular form, and, as before observed, 

 have a feathery appearance, seem to have been 

 all that could reasonably be alleged in favour of 

 this strange supposition. Among others who have 



