196 REVIEWS. 



" This use of the funnel and of the sucking arms, so different from their normal 

 purposes, affords additional examples of that divine economy in creation, which, 

 when a new function is ordained, does not always form new and special organs for 

 the necessity, but adapts some already employed in other service for the new work ; 

 while still both the one and the other function are fulfilled with such perfection 

 as shows that every emergency was foreseen, and provided for in the mighty plan, 

 and that it was not for want of resources that distinct actions are performed by the 

 same instrumentality. 



"Perhaps the above facts may not possess to others the novelty they had for me. 

 Dr. Johnston, in his admirable ' Introduction to Conchology,'has not included any 

 species of Cephalopoda, in his enumeration of burrowing mollusca ; nor 

 have I ever read of any that were known to possess the habit. I ought to have 

 said, that it takes place to no greater extent than to bring the animal just level with 

 the surface of the sand, which is generally thinly spread over the posterior part. 

 The eyes and the dorsal edge of the mantle are always exposed ; and if we carefully 

 heap the sand over these parts, it is in a moment blown away by the action of the 

 funnel, or removed by the undulation of the mantle-edge. It would be unfair, how- 

 ever, if I were not to allow that the little Sepiola has some unamiable traits. The 

 pretty bright-eyed Robin, that so confidingly picks crumbs from the window-sill, 

 sad to say, fights spitefully with his fellows, and eats nasty spiders ! and, I am sorry 

 to confess, that my little pet can be a real Cain at times. I saw one dart at an un- 

 offending brother, that was passing, and seizing him with murderous jaws, shed out 

 his life in a few seconds. The poor victim shot his feeble volume of ink, and sank 

 white and motionless to the bottom, as soon as the ferocious grasp was loosened. 

 The indictment which old iElian brings against the whole race, that they are glut- 

 tonous (terrible fellows for their bellies — deivoi Kara kolXicLv — is his phrase), and 

 murderous is, I am afraid, after all, not far from the truth." 



Other extracts it would be easy to give, but space forbids us ; and for 

 them we send our readers to the volume. It is absolutely necessary for 

 the naturalist who wishes to enjoy a sojourn by the sea side. There are 

 throughout this volume many scientific details, which display an intimate 

 acquaintance with the anatomical structure of the Actinia and other ani- 

 mals. The account of the Actinia parasitica is an exceedingly interesting 

 one. We can confirm the author's view of the white filaments being 

 withdrawn again into the body.* One which was dredged in Bantry Bay, 

 and attached to the shell of the Buccinum undatum — which, however, was 

 empty, not even tenanted by the hermit crab — after being in captivity for 

 a short time, affixed itself to the side of the glass tank, and then again to 

 a piece of rock near the centre of the Aquarium. After the lapse of 

 some weeks, a hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus), tenanting a small 

 whelk, was introduced into the tank, and the following insight into the 

 habits of the Actinia amply repaid all our trouble in preparing habitations 

 for it aud its companions. One day the crab, in its peregrinations, came 

 close to the rock to which the Actinia adhered, and before the crab or 

 whelk touched it, prepared evidently to lay hold on the Pagurus ; this it 

 was not long in effecting, and in spite of the wishes of the crab to get safe 

 off, it succeeded in transporting itself to the back of the whelk, and 



* This Actinia is now in one of the glass tanks in the collection of the Royal Zoolo- 

 gical Society, Phoenix Park, Dublin. 



