ENTOMOLOGY. 



Order .-NANTES ; or, SWIMMERS. 



Genus— ECHINUS MARINUS; or, SEA 



HEDGEHOG. 



Species-ECmXVS CASTANEUS. 



Character. — Fish inhabiting a molluscous shell or covering, 

 circular or oval, invested with spines, placed in a 

 radiated position and answering for the purpose 

 of legs, by a rotary motion ; an opening placed on 

 the underside of the shell, geometrically formed, 

 in some of the species, another opening on the 

 top. 



THE Echinus Castaneus, which we are now about to 

 describe, belongs to a large and numerous tribe of sea ani- 

 mals, which bear considerable analogy to the Sea Anemone, 

 or Animal Plant, and partly to the Polypi, in the circum- 

 stances of voluntary motion, and their radiated structure. 

 Sir Hans Sloane, in his History of Jamaica, has described 

 several varieties of these curious animals, which seem to 

 unite the insect, animal, fish, and vegetable tribes. Their 

 geometrically formed covering, attracts the eye by it's 

 symmetry, and even when it is stripped of its spines by 

 age or accident, it then assumes the appearance of an eo-g, 

 and by its beautiful tuberc'es and radiations, is still inter- 

 esting and delightful. In this state it is frequently found 

 fossil, enclosed in chalk and clay, and is called the Echinus 

 Galeatus, Echinus Cordatus, &c. and it is curious to 

 observe that none of the fossil specimens exactly resemble 

 the living ones, which are found at the present in the sea. 

 This circumstance would almost lead us to suppose that 

 there had formerly been another creation, being confirmed 



