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. This is itself a very strong justification for
considering an Ascidian, and anything else there may be among
animals that resembles it, to be of a vegetable character; for
plants also never have any residuum. Across the middle of the body
of these Ascidians there runs a thin transverse partition, and here it
is that we may reasonably suppose the part on which life depends to be
situated.
The Acalephae, or Sea-nettles, as they are variously called, are not
Testacea at all, but lie outside the recognized groups. Their
constitution, like that of the Ascidians, approximates them on one
side to plants, on the other to animals. For seeing that some of
them can detach themselves and can fasten upon their food, and that
they are sensible of objects which come in contact with them, they
must be considered to have an animal nature. The like conclusion
follows from their using the asperity of their bodies as a
protection against their enemies. But, on the other hand, they are
closely allied to plants, firstly by the imperfection of their
structure, secondly by their being able to attach themselves to the
rocks, which they do with great rapidity, and lastly by their having
no visible residuum notwithstanding that they possess a mouth.
Very similar again to the Acalephae are the Starfishes. For these
also fasten on their prey, and suck out its juices, and thus destroy a
vast number of oysters
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