212 



PENTACT^E. 



face, either internal or external. Vibratile cilia are only 

 seen on the mesentery, and there they are very minute. 

 The inside of the skin presents the vesicles of the suckers, 

 pyriform, and of a pink colour. The teeth are broadly 

 triangular. 



Unwieldy as this animal is, it seems active ; one we kept 

 alive in a vessel of sea-water was always in motion. It 

 inhabits the Sound of Bressay opposite the town of Ler- 

 wick, in from seven to ten fathoms water, living among 

 the mud close to the town in places where all the refuse of 

 the sewers must collect. The fishermen assured us that 

 they are found in great numbers off Fitful Head. Mr. 

 Goodsir obtained one off the coast of Fife, which does not 

 appear to differ from the Shetland specimens, and is equally 

 large. 



When we described this species at the meeting of the 

 British Association at Birmingham, we called it grandis. 

 There can be little doubt, however, that it is the animal 

 called Holothuria frondosa by Gunner, and referred to by 

 Fabricius and Muller, as attaining the length of a foot. 

 The pentacta of Abilgaard is evidently identical. The 

 name grandis has been applied by Brandt to another 

 species from the Caroline Isles. 



Some of the changes of form assumed by this species are 

 represented below. 



