294 The Rev. Hvcu Davrzs's Observations 
readily it was disentangled, owing to the extraordinary profusiom 
of mucus which nature has provided it with, doubtless for that 
purpose. | 
` It it impossible to make a guess at the length of it when alive, 
on account of its constantly extending and contracting itself 
when touched, and that with such ease as almost to exceed be- 
lief. I once observed a part of the fore end extended to a length 
between two and three feet, along the margin of the dish and the 
table, which part, on the animal being disturbed, was in a short 
time contracted, so as not to exceed so many inches; and as I 
assert that, when it was thus extended, it was full three times the 
size in diameter which I had seen it of on some other occasions, 
I may well say that it is capable of extending itself, or of being 
extended, without any inconvenience, to twenty-five or thirty 
times the length that it is of at another time. _ 
It varies very considerably in colour as it contracts or extends 
itself, which is from a dusky to a reddish-brown ; but it has, when 
placed in a strong light, especially in sun-shine, a gloss of a fine 
rich purple all over; when most contracted it appears nearly 
black. | 
Having thus attended to this remarkable animal for a fort- 
night, giving it daily a fresh supply of sea-water, I put it into a 
bottle, which, by the by, though the bottle was wide-mouthed,, 
I effected with no little trouble, owing to its facility of extending 
and contracting itself, and likewise its being so slippery from the. 
quantity of mucus with which it abounds. When, however, this 
was done, I poured on it some spirits; it was convulsed, and 
greatly contracted with regard to length, and consequently much 
enlarged in thickness, though neither nearly to that degree which 
I had often observed when it was alive; and in an instant, to my 
great surprise, it projected, from the emarginate part of the front, 
| a pro- 
