21 



TAB. LXXI. 

 FLUSTRA aviciilaris. 



Gen. Char. Animal a polype proceeding from 

 porous cells. Stem fixed, foliaceous, membra- 

 naceous, consisting of numerous rows of cells 

 united together, and woven like a mat. 



Spec. Char. Cells on one side, armed with branched 

 spines : branches fasciculate, palmate, dichotomous, 

 truncate, smooth on one side, with opaque beaked 

 capsules near the edge formed like a parrot's head.. 



1 HAVE been shown this curious Zoophile by my friend 

 the Rev. P. Keith, F.L. S., who found it at Seaford bay, 

 Sussex, in March 1806, in the most perfect state, forming 

 altogether a spherical mass. T consider it as a very extra- 

 ordinary production, exhibiting at the same lime two di- 

 stinct animal appearances ; one representing an amphitrite, 

 the other a living form, like a bird's head, included in the 

 same nest or habitation. Mr. Ellis had the gratification of 

 seeing these birds' heads move up and down, and the beaks 

 open; probably the lower mandible move down and up 

 again. Whether his is ihe same species, may admit of a 

 doubt, as ours has from two to live appendages at each 

 cell ; he regularly represents two. The cells are either 

 covered with a convex operculum, or protrude the am- 

 phitrite. The head-like animal is attached to the nerves, 

 near th3 edges. The habitation is like that of other Flustrae 



