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Updated: May 31, 2025
They produce countless numbers of little eggs, of a pale brown colour; these are apparently deposited from the interior white tentaculae, and cannot be estimated they are so numerous.
These barnacles preyed on the different gelatinous animals which were swimming about. It was curious to see them seize on these with their hooked tentaculae and draw them in, whilst the acalepha, or gelatinous animal, contracted and dilated itself with all its might and main, endeavouring to escape.
Soon the whole rock is covered below the water with a fine network of delicate coral, and from the tops of the open cells the insects put out their delicate tentaculae, or arms, which look like the petals of a flower. By means of the food gathered from the water by these tentaculae, all the coral insects are fed.
The truth is, that it is the name given to a beautiful molluscous animal, which by means of a sort of sail, the wind blows along as if it were a real boat. It consists of a bladder, tinted with various hues, and this keeps it afloat; while long tentaculae, of a deep purple colour, extend beneath, some of them several feet in length, with which it captures its prey.
Consequently their normal position is head-downward, and with tentacles spread out like the ribs of an umbrella eight of them at least; the two long ones, like the antennae of an insect, rove unceasingly around, seeking prey. And in the centre of this net-work of living traps is the chasm-like mouth, with its enormous parrot-beak, ready to rend piecemeal whatever is held by the tentaculae.
Scarcely had he got it on board, then he flung it down at the bottom of the boat, with a loud cry, exclaiming, "The horrid beast has stung me, as if it were a great nettle!" So it was, for it had thrown round his fingers its long tentaculae, discharging, at the same time, an acrid fluid from them, which caused the pain he felt.
All things which are similar or analogous become grouped together, and from the grouping of groups rises one whole or central point. We see radiating many long arms with innumerable tentaculae, and in the centre rises a gigantic head with a comprehensive brain and keen eyes to look on every side and ears sensitive to hear and a voracious mouth to swallow.
We were watching a huge fellow floating near the ship, with outstretched tentaculae, of arms, extending an immense distance from his head, and with which he was dragging up into his voracious mouth thousands of animalculae every moment and from his size he seemed capable of encircling the body of any unfortunate person he might find swimming when the cry was heard from aloft of "There she, spouts there she spouts!"
The numerous little animals of the species which I have always considered to be the Velella of Lamarck went sailing merrily by us today; the least breath of wind made them turn round and round; and this was their mode of progression, the animal moved its little sail which I have before mentioned, and worked its tentaculae so vigorously as to make ripples in the water, in the midst of which it went buoyantly floating along.
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