280 
The Natural Hiftory of ibe Book IX. 
of Motion. When it moves, which it does but flowly, it feems as ifa 
Grove of Spears was in Motion. The Infide of the Shell is lined with 
about five Lobes of a granulated yellow Subftance, refembling the Roe of 
aFifh: Thefe Lobes are in Length about three Inches, and in Breadth 
near an Inch: However, their Bulk depends much upon the Time of their 
being taken; for thefe Lobes are larger, and even better tafted, in the 
(4). Full than in the Wane of the Moon ; but if not quickly eaten, or 
put into flrong Vinegar to harden, they very foon difolve into a rich | 
reddith Liquid: A full-grown Shell is about fourtcen Inches in Circum- 
ference. ‘The Difference between the black, the grey, and' the whitifh 
Sort, is not worth mentioning: However, the black fhooting Sea-~Egg dif. 
fers from all the reft by the extraordinary Length of its Prickles, and its 
great Force in darting them to annoy its Enemy; which it does with 
that Violence, that I have known them to ftrike or dart them thro’ the 
thick flefhy Part of the Toe-nail of a Fifherman. The Sea-Eggs were 
known to the Romans; which appears from the Words of Horace. 
£52 -b S55 Mifeno oriuntur echinie 
Hlorret .capillis, ut marinus, afperis, 
Echinus. Epod, V, 27. 
It appears ‘from a Paflage in Lwcilius, that the Antients were set well 
acquainted with the proper Scafon for taking this Fifh, as being larger 
and more delicate in the Full of the Moon, © sy 
-----Luna alit oftrea, et implet echinos. 
2 hele Sed-Eges are to be found in the Bottom of fine fandy Bays, in 
about feven orcight Feet Water. This is delineated in Plate XXVI. 
Fig. a0 Fig. :25 AS oe Sone 
The Puate-Fisu, or the Fiat Sra-Ecc. 
HE Plate-Fifh hath a flat Shell fomewhat difhing inwards on 
one Side; It is generally from two to three Inches Diameter. The 
upper and the under Shell are fo thin, and fo clofe together, that the in- 
clofed Fifh is very fmall. The feveral thoufand little Holes in thefeShells, 
by which, I fuppofe, Nourifhment is conveyed to the Fifh, are no lefs re- 
markable for their Number, than their Regularity and Beauty. This 
(2) This evidently confutes Mr. Robault, ‘who fays, that the Moon hath no Influence 
in replenifhing at the Full, or leffening at the Wane, the Meat that is inclofed in thefe 
and fuch-like Shell-Fith. see 
: 2 Shell- 
tine 
