179 



Immediately after these pieces another arrangement takes place-, 

 the pieces gradually diminish, h, ^Y A-, and /, and form into two se- 

 ries in the following manner : the first two or three terminate at 

 their inner end in a gradually tapering point, and all the succeeding 

 ones terminate in a point suddenly formed, as if by two oblique sec- 

 tions, at that termination. A triangular space is thus formed be- 

 tween the points of each two of these pieces in each row ; and by 

 the mutual reception of the several terminating points in these cavi- 

 ties, a remarkably neat hinge-like articulation is formed. These two 

 ranges of ossiculae, of which about forty are contained in each range, 

 compose two articulated fingers, the number of these fingers being 

 twenty, since two proceed from each of the ten arms. 



From the internal part of these fingers a considerable number of 

 articulated tentacula are produced : from each ossiculse of the fingers, 

 a series of from about twenty to thirty still smaller ossiculae being 

 given off; the contiguity of these series to each other, making it 

 appear as if an articulated web was attached along the inside of each 

 finger. This curious arrangement of these tentacula is very accu- 

 rately delineated in the representation of the rare specimen, Plate 

 XIV. Fig. 1. 



With the hope of acquiring a more accurate knowledge of this part 

 of the skeleton, I have, for the purpose of obtaining a view of their 

 internal structure, destined several of these bodies to destruction, 

 by transverse and longitudinal fractures and sections ; and in the 

 latter case, by such polishing as their substance would admit. By 

 this mode of examination, I have been enabled to ascertain, that 

 on the internal part of each ossicula of the finger a deep cavity ex- 

 ists, to which the first ossieula of each tentaculum is attached by an ap- 

 propriate articulation; and that, by the articulation of nearly flat; 

 surfaces, the ossiculae of each tentaculum are also connected together. 

 By thse means I have also been able to ascertain, that about twenty 



