THE CHIRODOTA. 237 



of tliese are said to " divide spontaneously tliroiigli the 

 middle into two or more parts, all becoming ultimately 

 perfect by the development of new organs." * 



This spontaneous division I lately had an opportunity 

 of witnessing in an Echinoderm of great rarity, so 

 rare that I know not whether any British zoologist has 

 seen it before, since its discovery on the South Devon 

 coast by Montagu. Professor Forbes says he had 

 never met with a living example. I allude to Chiro- 

 dota digitata. 



Many living specimens of this species were for- 

 warded to me by the kindness of the Kev. C. Kingsley, 

 who obtained them in the vicinity of Torquay. He 

 says, " I got this 2in.di Actinia chrysanthellum^ in two 

 contiguous coves, washed up after a heavy gale [in 

 January] in company with Lutraria elliptica, and the 

 common red hag- worm, indicating life on a mud- sand 

 bottom." 



This animal is a very worm-like Holotliuria^ nearly 

 cylindi'ical in form when in health. The largest of 

 my specimens extended to ten inches, with an average 

 diameter of one-fourth of an inch. The posterior 

 extremity is always plump and rounded, sometimes 

 swollen to an oval sac, half an inch in diameter and 

 two inches long. The body is covered with annular 

 striffi, most distinct on the fore half. 



Notwithstanding the cylindrical form, a dorsal and 

 a ventral side may be readily distinguished. The 

 former has, as its general colour, a hue approaching 

 to the Indian-red of artists, while the latter is of a 

 pale pellucid flesh-colour. The body is marked by 

 * Dalyell. t Peachia Jiastafa (mihi). 



