26*9 



small hole communicating with the starry centre of the vertebrae, and 

 running through their centre to the hooked joint at the extremity of 

 these arms. 



" On the under or inner side of these joints, their surface is rendered 

 uneven by minute tubercles, by means of which, and of the hook, 

 which the last joint forms, the animal can take a more secure hold of 

 whatever he seizes. 



" But as the stem of this animal appears to be broken off at the 

 bottom, we must remain in doubt whether it moves about in the sea, 

 or is fixed to rocks and shells by a base, like corals, sponges, and ke- 

 ratophytons. 



" We now come to what is called the head, perhaps the body, 

 of this animal ; for in the centre of this dry specimen, there still re- 

 mains a cup of a crustaceous substance, and of an oval form, about 

 an inch in length, and three quarters of an inch over, and a quarter of 

 an inch deep : in the centre of this is a small hole, which apparently, 

 communicates with the internal part of the vertebrae of the stem : 

 in this cup or cavity, it is probable, were the intestines and stomach 

 of the animal, as in the asterias, called Caput Medusae. This cup is 

 supported by the bases of six dichotomous testaceous arms or 

 branches, (perhaps five is the natural number, for one seems irregularly 

 placed). These lower parts or bases of the branching arms, consist of 

 three joints each, and surround the cup, to which they seem united ; 

 each of these divide into two other jointed branches, that are round 

 or convex on their under side, but flattish on the upper, with a deep 

 groove running along the middle, which is furnished with two rows of 

 suckers, like the sepia? or asteriae. From the upper edges of each al- 

 ternate joint of these branches arise two rows of small jointed claws, 

 like fingers; these two opposite rows bend in towards each other: 

 each small branch or finger is about half an inch long ami one-twen- 

 tieth of an inch broad ; the size of these joints diminish a little, till 

 yau come to the last joint, which ends in a point. Each of these 



