242 THE EYES. 



The two orifices scarcely clifi'er from each other in 

 form or structure ; from what I know of them in other 

 animals of this tribe, they are protrusile tubes of flesh, 

 terminating abruptly, and fringed around the interior 

 with short filaments or tentacles ; the exteriors of the 

 tubes are furnished with minute oval specks of crimson, 

 which are doubtless rudimentary eyes ; they look like 

 uncut rubies or garnets, set in the transparent colour- 

 less flesh, without any sockets ; and probably convey 

 only the vague sensation of light, without definite 

 vision. How many there are around each aperture I 

 cannot say from observation, (probably eight on one 

 and six on the other) for I have not seen either so 

 far protruded as to be properly opened : each is slowly 

 thrust out in a puckered state for a little way, slightly 

 opened, then suddenly and forcibly drawn in, and 

 tightly constricted. 



The whole, animal is inclosed in a coating of loose 

 shapeless jelly, that appears to be thrown off" from its 

 surface, rather than to be an organic part of it ; still, 

 at one corner of the bottom it forms a thick short 

 foot-stalk, by which the creature is attached to the 

 sea-weed ; and this foot-stalk evidently has an organic 

 core into which there passes a vessel from the body 

 of the animal. 



What first strikes the eye on looking at this little 

 creature, and continues long to arrest the admiring 

 gaze, is the respiratory organ in full play. The gills 

 are large ; they form a flattened bag, nearly of the 

 same shape as the animal itself, but a little smaller 

 every way, which hangs down like a veil on one side 

 of the general cavity, — the side nearest the eye as 



