146 



MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN 



VOL. XIV, 



way protective 1 do not know. The lateral flaps in this genus 

 are united behind and not open as in Aplysia, leaving only a 

 small aperture on the summit of the back. No shell is present, a 

 stage further, the final one, in the process of the elimination of 

 what had become a useless structure. Large and beautiful eye- 

 spots are scattered over the body, the centre peacock green, ringed 

 round with pale orange ; each is at least 3 millimetres in diameter. 



The gelatinous cords filled with opaque dirty reddish ova are 

 similar to those of Aplysia. Its spawning time is the same and so 

 is its habitat, all along the East Coast wherever quiet weedy 

 shallows are to be found; it is very common in some years at 

 Ennur in March. 



The Umbrella-shell [UwhrelUdae) is another clumsy creature 

 not uncommon in moderate depths on the East Coast and easily 

 recognized by the flattened shell that covers the back of its fleshy 

 tuberculated body, very solid and muscular. The shell is quite 



^l^' 33- V.gg cord ol Nolarc/iKs. Natural size. 



uncovered, and hides the large plumed gill disposed in front and 

 to the right side. The head is small, and retractile like that 

 of the tortoise into a deep notch in the front of the massive foot. 



Finally as representative of the Pleurobranchidac, v^e \\?iwe ihe 

 dull unsightly Pleurobratichus, coarsely slug-like in shape, greenish 

 drab ir colour, and rough surfaced. It is common in dirty nuiddy 

 pooh between tide-marks at Rameswaram. The head bears two 

 pairs of fleshy tentacles and like Umbrella ihe foot gives off" no 

 lobes at the sides as does Aplysia. As if its appearance were 

 not already sufficiently repulsive, spicules are formed in the mantle. 



