Philosophical transactions, Vol. L. Part II. For the year 1758.: Giving some account of the present undertakings, studies, and labours, of the ingenious, in many considerable parts of the world.Various
History
Philosophical transactions, Vol. L. Part II. For the year 1758.: Giving some account of the present undertakings, studies, and labours, of the ingenious, in many considerable parts of the world.
Various
Science -- Periodicals
The experiments, that I made, were on the common English Barnacle,
which is very frequently met with, at this time of the year, on oysters
and other shell-fish. The microscope, that I made use of to observe
it, was Mr. Cuff’s aquatic one; where the animal, when taken out of the
shell, may be put into the watch-glass with salt water, or spread on
the round glass plate on the stage of the microscope, and kept moist
with a hair pencil and salt water during the time of observation: this
will keep the claws and proboscis alive and in motion for many hours
together.
This animal has 24 claws, or cirrhi (_See Fig._ A), which are disposed
in the following manner: the 12 longest stand erect, arising from the
back part of the animal: they are all joined in pairs near the bottom,
and inserted in one common base. These appear like so many yellow
curled feathers: they are clear, horny, and articulated. Every joint is
furnished with two rows of hairs on the concave side. The animal, in
order to catch its prey, is continually extending and contracting these
arched hairy claws, which serve it for a net.
The 12 smallest claws are placed next to these, six on each side: these
are divided into pairs; that is, two claws to one stem, like the chelæ
or claws of the crab. These are more pliable, and fuller of hairs, than
the others, and seem to do the office of hands for the animal.
The whole number of claws lessen in size gradually each way, from the
tallest in the back, to the last but one of each side in the front;
which last two are of the middle size.
The proboscis, or trunk, rises from the middle of the base of the
larger claws, and is longer than any of them: this the animal moves
about in any direction with great agility: it is of a tubular figure,
transparent, composed of rings lessening gradually to the extremity,
where it is surrounded with a circle of small bristles, which likewise
are moveable at the will of the animal. These, with other small hairs
on the trunk, disappear when it dies.
Along the inside of this transparent proboscis the spiral dark-coloured
tongue appears very plain: this the animal contracts and extends at
pleasure.
The mouth appears like that of a contracted purse, and is placed
in front, between the fore claws. In the folds of this membraneous
substance are six or eight horny laminæ or teeth standing erect, each
having a tendon proper to direct its motion. Some of these teeth are
serrated, others have tufts of sharp hairs instead of indentations on
the convex side, that point down into the mouth; so that no animalcule
that becomes their prey can escape back.
Under the mouth lie the stomach, intestines, and the tendons by which
they adhere to the shell.
This then is the general character of the animal of the whole genus,
whether with stems or without.
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