MlC R OSCOPICAL ESS AYS, 



way to the opening of thefe, and to the motions of the body of 

 the fifh, in any direction. It is furnifhed with a clutter of fila- 

 ments, placed in a row on each fide, fometimes fourteen in num- 

 ber. -They are a kind of arms, appropriated for catching it's 

 prey, and therefore placed fo as to furround the mouth of the 

 -animal, which is fituated between them, and confequently eafily 

 receives what they thruft tow, rds it. By the motion of thefe 

 arms, which may be exerted in fuch a manner, as to play either 

 within or without the cavity of the (hell, it forms a current of 

 water, which brings with it the prey they feed upon. Fig. 1, 

 Plate XIII. reprefents two of thefe arms, or horns, as feen with 

 the microfcope. Fig. 2 reprefents the natural fize of thofe from 

 which thefe drawings were made. Each horn con lifts of feveral 

 joints, and each joint is furnifhed on the concave fide of the arm 

 with a brum of long hairs. The arms, when viewed in the 

 microfcope, feem rather opake ; but they may be rendered trans- 

 parent, and form a moft beautiful object, by extracting out of 

 the interior cavity a bundle of longitudinal fibres, which runs the 

 whole length of the arm. Mr. Needham * thinks the motion and 

 ufe of thefe arms illuftrates the nature of that rotatory motion, 

 which fome writers liave thought they difcovered in the wheel 

 animal. 



In the midfl of the arms is a hollow trunk, confining of a 

 jointed hairy tube, which inclofes,a long round tongue, that the 

 animal can pufh occafionally out of the tube or fheath, and re- 

 tract at pleafure. The mouth of this animal is fingular in it's 

 kind, confining of fix lamina?, which go off with a bend, in- 

 dented 



Needham's Microfcopical Obfervations, 



