490 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE AXD PRODUCTIOXS. 



You've heard of the Octopus, 'tis a pleasant thiui; to know, 

 He has a panijliou makes him blush not red, hut ■\vhito as snow : 

 And wliy the strange Cereariu, to go a long way back, 

 "Wears ever, as some ladies do, a fashionable ' sack.' 

 And how the Prawn has parasites, that in his head make holes, 

 Ask Dr. Cobbold, and he'll say they're just like tiny soles. 



Then study well Zoology, an<l add unto your store . 



Tales of Biogenesis and of Protoplasmic lore : 



As Paley neatly has observed, when into life they hurst, 



The Frog and the Philosopher are just the same at iiist. 



But, what's tlic origin of life, remains a puzzle still, 



Let Tyndull, Haeekel, Bastian, go and wrangle as they will. 



"WALKING CORALS (Page 18). 



One of the most CTirioiis corals perliaps known is that which may be popularly 

 designated a walking coral, from the fact tliat it is in the habit of moving about 

 along the sandy bottom of the sea, or in an aquarium, whore its motions may be 

 observed, and which never fail to strike with wonder those who behold them for 

 the first time. The above designation, howevt'r, is only applicable in a popular 

 sense, as it is not the coral itself which originates the motion in question, but a 

 species of worm or Siphnnndua (as it is commonly regaitled) lodged in the base of 

 the coral, and between which and the coral a parasitic relationship would seem to 

 e.xist, which is one of host and lodger rather than of ' commensals,' as it is some- 

 times described. So obscure, however, is the life history of the relationship between 

 tliese strangely associated mates, notwithstanding the amount of study that has been 

 bestowed on them, that I think a few remarks will not be out of place here, if only 

 for the purpose of directing the attention of observers favourably situated for pro- 

 curing the living animals and studying their history and development either in an 

 aquarium or in their native waters ; as one species is common on the Arakan Coast, 

 and is easily procurable with a dredge in a few fathoms of water in sandy coral 

 ground, e.g. off Corangi Island, where I have myself dredged it abundantly. 



There are many species known from the Eastern seas.' Jlctcropmmmia Miclielini, 

 Jlilne-Edwards et Hainie ; II. cochlea, Spengl ; //. Burlonica, Brug. ; II. aspera, Brug. ; 

 II. Pcrsica, Brug. ; //. Australis, Brug. ; and II. mnlfilohata, Moselcy ; but as they all 

 are specifically dilferentiated by means of the characters of their framework and 

 peculiarities of the calyces and septa, and all agree in the presence within their base 

 of a Siphunculus, or lodger, it will suffice to coTisider the first-named species, with 

 which alone I am personally familiar in the living state, and which is plentiful on the 

 Arakan Coast. 



It is interesting liere to observe that a closel3'-allied coral, Ileterocyaihus para- 

 siticus, displays a scarcely less curious relationship between itself and a Hiphunvidxis, 

 l)ut with a difference, which seems due to the fact that whereas Jli'terops'tmmia is a 

 free coral at all stages, Ilcteroci/tdlnis is fixed in its mode of growth, attaching itself 

 to dead shells, as Cerit/iium and the like. In the (^ase of Jlcteroeyatlms, ho\vc\-er, the 

 Hiphimrulus is said (for I cannot speak of my own knowledge) to occupy the shell 

 whereunto the coral is attached, and its so doing would scarcely challenge any 

 pai'ticular notice, but for the fact that in an allied and free coral, Ilclerjpsammia, the 

 Siphunctdus, instead of occupying the shell, is fouud occupying a cavity in the base 

 of the coral. Now the qiiestion of how the Hipliunctdus lodger originally obtained 

 access to the interior of the Ilelervp.wnunia host, and that regarding the less intimate 

 relation between the same, or an allied species of Sijjhuncidus, and the fixed llclero- 

 eyathus, is of a somewhat similar though mollified character, and raises so many issues, 



' For tliese names and otlirr iiilormation rep^anlin^ the subject I am iiiilelited to tlie courtesy cif 

 S. 0. llidley, Esq., M..\., on tlie Scientific Stall' of the British Museum (who is, however, not 

 responsible ior the views hero put forth). 



