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Show 436 MOJ,LUSCA. we observe a stomach inflated by a multitude of small cavities in its parietes, which appear to fulfil the functions of a liver, a simple intestine, a double ovary, and a double serpentine oviduct, whose walls produce the prolific fluid, and which, prolonged in the fleshy tube, open at its extremity. These animals are always fixed. Linnreus comprised them all in one genus-LEPAs, which Brugieres divided into two, that have in their turn been subdivided( I). ANATIFA, Brug. A compressed mantle, open on one side and suspended to a fleshy tube, varying greatly as to the number of testaceous pieces with which it is furnished; twelve pair of cirri, six on each side, those nearest to the mouth being the thickest and shortest. The branchi::e are elongated pyramidal appendages that adhere to the external base of the whole of the cirri, or of part of them. The two principal valves, of the most numerous species (PENTA· LASMis, Leach,) resemble those of a Mytilus; two others seem to complete a part of the edge of the Mytilus opposite to the summit, and an azygous fifth one unites the posterior edge to that of the op· posite valve; these five pieces cover the whole of the mantle. From the usual place of the ligament arises the fleshy pedicle; a strong transverse muscle unites the two first valves near their summit; th~ mouth of the animal is concealed behind it, and the posterior extre· mity of its body, with all the little articulated feet, is a little beyond it, between the four first valves. The most common species of the European seas, Lepas ana· tifera, L., owes its specific appellation to the fable which repre· sents it as producing the Bernacles · and Macreuses, a story founded on the rude resemblance that has been observed to exist between the pieces of this shell and a bird. The Anatifre adhere to rocks, piles, keels of vessels, &c.(2) We may distinguish from them: ( 1) This name of Lepas formerly belonged to the Patellre. Linn reus, suppos· ing that some of these Cirrhopoda existed· which had no shells, gave them the name of Triton: but the existence of these Tritons is not confirmed, and we arc to conclude that Linnams merely saw the animal of an Anatifa torn from its shell. (2) Add Lepas anserifera, Chemn., VIII, c, 856;-.!lnat. dentata, Brug., Encyc. Method., pl. 166, f, 6, or Pentalasmis falcata, Leach, Edinb. Encyc. CIRRHOPODA. 437 PoLLIOIPEs, Leach, Where, besides _the five principal valves, there are several small ones near the pedicle( 1 ), some of which, in certain species, are nearly as large as the former(2); frequently there is an azygous valve, opposite to the ordinary one of the same description. In the CxNERAs, Leach, The cartilaginous mantle contains but five small valves, which do not occupy the whole of its extent(3). In the 0TioN, Leach. The cartilaginous mantle contains but two very small valves with three little grains which hardly merit that name, and has two' tubular auriform appendages( 4). TETRALASMis, Cuv. But four valves, which ~urro~nd the aperture; two of them longer than the others. The ammal 1s partly confined within the pedicle which is large, and covered with hair. They are a kind of tubeles; Balani( 5 ). ' BALANus, Brug. The principal part of the shell of the Balani consists of a testaceous tube attached to various bodies, the aperture of which is more or less (1) Lepas pollicipes, L., or Poll. cornucopia, Leach; Encyc. Method., pl. 266, f. 10, 11;-Poll. villosus, Leach, Edinb. Encyc. (2) Lepas mitella, Chemn., VIII, 849, 850, Encyc. Method., pl. 266, f. 9, or Polylepe couronnf, Blainv., Malac.;-Poll. scalpellum, Chemn., VIII, p. 294, or Polylepe vulgai1·e, Blainv., Malac., b:xxiv, f. 4. It is the genus Sc.t.LPELLtrM Leach, lac. cit. ' (3) Cinems vittata, Leach, Edinb. Encyc., or Lepas coriacea, Poli, vi, 20, or Gymnolepas Cranchii, Blainv., Malac., lxxxiv, 2. (4) Otion Ouvieri, ·Leach, or Lepas leporina, Poli, J, vi, 21, o1• Lepas aurita, Chemn., VIII, pl. c, f. 857, 858. M. de Blainville unites Oineras and Otion in his genus GntNOLEPA. (5) Tetral. ltirsutus, Cuv., Moll. Anatif., f. 14. N.B_. The LITHOTiliAS ofSowerby, converted by Blainville intoLITHOLEPA, may be, as 1s conjectured by Rang, merely an Anatifa accidentally fixed in a hole ex· cavated by some bivalve. The ALEPAs, Rang, should be Anatifa::, whose cartilaginous mantle is without any shell whatever; I have never seen them. At all events, they must not be confounded with the 'l'riton of Linna:us, which was the animal of an Anatifa separated from its mantle and shell. |