This then is the general character of the animal of the whole genus, whether with stems or without.
I shall now give you a short description of the several kinds I have met with, besides those of your own, and shall divide them into two kinds; those that have stems, and those that adhere by their shelly bases.
The first and most remarkable of those that have stems is the Barnacle, [Fig. 1.] This differs from the Lepas of Linnæus in not having a testaceous, only a cartilaginous or fleshy covering. On the top of it are two erect tubular figures like ears: these have a communication with the internal parts of the animal ([See Fig. 1. b]). These inner parts agree with the general character already given. The stem, which is here dissected, was full of a soft spongy yellow substance, which appeared, when magnified, to consist of regular oval figures, connected together by many small fibres, and no doubt are the spawn of the animal.
This extraordinary animal (of which there were seven together) was found sticking to the Whale Barnacle ([See fig. 1. & 7.]), by Mr. Smith of Stavenger in Norway, who cut both kinds together off a whale’s lip, that was thrown upon that coast last year, 1757, and immediately immersed them in spirits of wine; by which means we have been able more exactly to describe them.
I have called this animal the Naked Fleshy Barnacle with Ears; but it appears to claim the name of Triton rather than Lepas, according to Linnæus, as having no shelly habitation.
[Fig. 2.] is the next animal of this class: this is not yet described. I found several of them sticking to the Warted Norway Sea Fan, which Dr. Pantoppidan, the Bishop of North Bergen, sent you: from its appearance, I have called it the Norway Sea Fan Penknife. The stem of this is covered with little testaceous scales. The upper part of the animal is inclosed in thirteen distinct shells, six on each side, besides the hinge-shell at the back, which is common to both sides: these are connected together by a membrane that lines the whole inside. One of these is magnified a little at [fig. 2. a], in order to express the figure and situation of each shell the better.
[Fig. 3.] is taken from D’Argentville’s Lithologie, Pl. 30. fig. H, who says it is found in the British channel sticking to sea plants; and that these shells consist of five pieces. This, from its appearance, I have called the British Channel Penknife, to distinguish it from the other.
[Fig. 4.] is a species of Barnacle called Poussepieds by the French, and described by Rondeletius as commonly found adhering to rocks on the coast of Brittany. He says the people there boil and eat the stem, which is first of a mouse-colour, and afterwards becomes red like our prawns. There are many heads, that arise out of one stem, each of which consists of two shells, in which are the same parts of the animal as in the other species. This I have called the Cornucopia Barnacle. Some of the shells of this Barnacle were drawn from a specimen in the British Museum. This Lepas is the Mitella of Linnæus.
[Fig. 5. and 6.] are the Barnacles called Conchæ Anatiferæ: these are the sorts so well known to sailors, and formerly supposed to produce a large species of duck called a Barnacle. These consist of five shells. The tube, that supports one of these kinds, branches out like some species of corallines, bearing a shelled animal at the end of each branch. They are generally found adhering to pieces of wood in the sea, and most ships have some of them sticking to their bottoms. Those of the southern and warmer climates are generally of a larger kind than those of the colder and more northern climates.
The next division of these animals is, those that adhere by the base of their shells, having no stems.