ARTEMIA. 59 



It swims almost always on its back, and by means of its 

 fins and tail it runs in all directions through the element 

 it inhabits. It may be seen to mount, descend, turn over, 

 spring forward, curve its body into the form of an arch, 

 and then rebound, and deliver itself up to a thousand 

 bizarre and capricious gambols. Their feet are in constant 

 motion, and their undulations have a softness difficult to 

 describe." The tanks or reservoirs where I have already 

 said they are chiefly found, are called clearers, as the 

 liquor becomes clear while in them, and this effect is 

 attributed by the workmen to this constant and rapid 

 motion of their feet. " So strongly persuaded," says Mr. 

 Rackett, " are the workmen of this fact, that they are 

 accustomed to transport a few of the worms from another 

 saltern if they do not appear at their own." 



They are manifestly omnivorous, swallowing everything 

 that comes in their way. Like the Chirocephalus, the un- 

 dulatory motion of the branchial feet causes a current of 

 water to flow in the kind of canal formed between them, 

 which carries everything within reach to their mouth. 

 In this way we see them devouring even their own young. 

 " If we observe," says M. Joly, " in a small quantity of 

 liquid, the mother at the time of parturition, we see the 

 young group themselves round her body, and there is 

 nothing more pretty, more agile, more graceful than this 

 little troop. But soon the scene changes ; one, two, or 

 three young ones are involved in the current which the 

 motion of its fins causes, they pass into the gutter situated 

 between these organs, and from thence come to the mouth 

 of the mother. She at first disperses them, as being in- 

 convenient bodies perhaps she may even wish to spare 

 them ; but soon afterwards they present themselves again, 



discussion between the two above-named savatis, assisted by Messrs. Audouin 

 and Turpin, M. Joly set himself to discover the real cause ; and the result 

 of his observations is, that the red colour depends upon the presence of 

 myriads of a small monad, and that frequently the Artemise, from swallowing 

 numbers of these, partake also of the same red hue. The little creature is 

 called by M. Joly Monas Diii'allii, and a long account of the whole discussion 

 may be seen at the conclusion of M. Joly's paper in the ' Ann. Sc. Nat.' 



