349 



blowing vegetable, it was difcovered to be ati 

 animal that was decorated with all this gaiety 

 of colouring ; and hence the name " ani- 

 mal flower." 



On examination the body is found to be 

 of a blackifh hue, lefs than an inch in length, 

 and about a quarter of an inch in thicknefsi 

 It adheres by one end to the rock, and from 

 the other extremity, which projeds outwards, 

 are thrown off a number of fine membranous 

 filaments, in a radiated and circular form ; and 

 from the point or head, at the centre of this 

 circle, proje£t four long flender fibrils, not 

 unlike the legs of the fpider. Thus, while the 

 body appears as the calyx, and the expanded 

 filaments as the petals, thefe fibrils ferving as 

 the ftamina, complete the refemblance of a 

 regular and beautiful flower. 



It has been fuggefted, that as this animal 

 is almofl: wholly deprived of locomotive 

 power, the fine colours, given to the mem- 

 branous filaments, ferve as a provifion of 

 nature, to allure and bring within its reach 

 the fmaller infe£ts, upon which it feeds ; and 

 from the quick fpontaneous motion of the 



