Class VI. ECHINUS. 137 



GENUS XXXIII. ECHINUS. 



Body covered with a sutured crust, often fur- 

 nished with moveable spines. 

 Mouth quinquevalve, placed beneath. 



Echinus. Lin. Syst. 1102. "E^ivos wd. Aristot. Hist. An. 1. Escu- 



Gm. Lin. 3168. List. Angl lib. iv. c. v. lentus. 



„~ . 7 ... Eatable. 



log. tab. m. 



Ech. of a hemispherical form, covered with 

 sharp strong spines, above half an inch long; 

 commonly of a violet color, moveable ; adherent 

 to small tubercles elegantly disposed in rows. 

 These are their instruments of motion, by which 

 they change their place. 



This species is often taken in dredging, and 

 often lodges in cavities of rocks j ust within low- 

 water mark. Tab. xxxvi. fig. 1. 



Are eaten by the poor in many parts of En- 

 gland, and by the better sort abroad. In old 

 times a favorite dish. They were dressed with 

 vinegar, honied wine, or mead, parsley and 

 mint; and esteemed to agree with the stomach.* 



* Athenceus, lib. iii. p. gi. 



