THE BEADLET. 179 



never found it associated with the A. mesembryanthemum, 

 and rarely more than one or two in the same locality 

 (though explored Jby me in Cornwall), with one exception. 

 On the under surface of some very large stones used for 

 making a pier near the north-western extremity of the 

 town of St. Ives, I found several colonies of the in- 

 teresting creatures in full health, enjoying the blessings of 

 freedom in a nook not often disturbed by anything but 

 the rough and boisterous waves from the North Channel. 

 About twenty feet from this spot, and nearer high-water 

 mark, the under surfaces of the stones forming a portion 

 of this abortive construction were covered with old and 

 young members of the beautiful varieties of the A. mesem- 

 hryanthemum, dark bottle-green with yellow dots, dark 

 green with yellow stripes, claret with yellow spots, yel- 

 lowish green, light 'ochre, amber, scarlet, &c. The blue 

 beaded rim and blue fillet at base were displayed by each 

 member of this group. A specimen of the A. chiococca, 

 which I had in confinement for more than twelve months 

 in my experimental jar, furnished me with a batch of young 

 ones, — all were true to colour and markings." This, how- 

 ever, can by no means outweigh the positive evidence on 

 the other side furnished by Sir J. Dalyell. 



Nor can the A. margaritifera of Templeton be allowed 

 any higher rank. The flattened, rigid, corrugated con- 

 dition on which he relied for a specific character, I have 

 not unfrequently seen in individuals, which, in the course 

 of an hour or two, were swollen out to the softness and 

 plumpness normal to the species. Mr. Cocks comes to 

 my aid here with an interesting narrative of two specimens 

 which he found in a condition exactly corresponding to 

 Mr. Templeton's description of margaritifera. He was at 

 once convinced that sickness was the cause of their pecu- 

 liar flatness and attenuation, and the shrivelled tesselated 



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