4 APLYSIID^E. 



the appetite of any civilized being ; but M. Lesson states 

 that one kind is eaten raw and esteemed a delicacy by 

 the natives of the Society or Friendly Isles. The Aply- 

 sice secrete occasionally a whitish slime ; and many of 

 them emit also a copious and beautiful purple fluid. 

 The former issues from the whole surface of the body, 

 and the latter from glands or nucleated cells in the edge 

 and inner surface of the mantle. Cuvier suggested the 

 connexion between this purple fluid and the kidney ; if 

 it be of a urinary nature, some of the vernacular names 

 quoted by French naturalists are not inappropriate. 

 Apuleius noticed the cartilaginous gizzard. According to 

 Fischer " on rencontre quelquefois au large des Aplysies 

 nageant avec rapidite ; ? and I have observed their ac- 

 tivity in creeping. Although often living between tide- 

 marks, their soft and delicate bodies confronting the 

 cutting blasts of wintry storms, they seem to be hardy 



" creatures, 

 Whose naked natures live in all the spite 

 Of wreakful heaven ; whose bare unhoused trunks, 

 To the conflicting elements exposed, 

 Answer mere nature." 



The colour of the animal is a variable character, and can 

 seldom be relied on for specific distinction. Risso made 

 at least four species out of our common A. punctata. 

 The rudimentary shell serves, like that of the land-slugs, 

 to protect the vital organs. It has been found, although 

 rarely, in some of the upper tertiaries. 



Linne at first placed it in the parasitic genus Lerncea, 

 and afterwards in Tethys ; but, on Bohadsch pointing 

 out the incongruity of both these allocations, he pro- 

 posed for its reception the genus Laplysia. This last 

 name was altered by Gmelin to Aplysia, which is now 

 in general use. 



