MOLLUSCS 95 



" crawling under false colours " avoids the attentions of 

 fishes who have learnt to leave the closely similar Cone 

 severely alone. 



The sub-class of the Gastropods known as the Euthyneura 

 embraces many strange forms which appear to be midway 

 between the shelled sea snails and the true sea slugs. 

 The sub-class includes many brilliant tropic forms and 



Sea Hare {Aplysia) 



a few common to our own seas, the best known of which 

 is the Sea Hare {Aplysia punctata). 



This strange mollusc is about nine inches long and 

 with its long tentacles bears a fanciful resemblance to a 

 crouching hare when in a semi-contracted state. It is 

 of a rich velvety brown or purple and may easily be mis- 

 taken for a piece of seaweed as it crawls leisurely over 

 some gravel reach. It is a vegetarian feeder, biting off 



