IIOLOTHURIA. 61 



A fortnight later they had extended half an inch, and some had fourteen 

 twigs. Thus the evolution of each part is successive. 



As the dark internal substance apparently augmented a month be- 

 fore this latter period, it might be from the early regeneration of the ai- 

 borescence, though imperceptible to human observation. 



The creature declined from the first of November. It shrunk ex- 

 traordinarily, at length remaining but an inch in extent, and a quarter 

 of an inch thick. The intestines protruded by a rupture in the side ; 

 and it died on the eleventh — having survived just about seven months. 



To me it seems doubtful whether any individual of the Holofhnria 

 fusus, young or old, large or small, is exempt from such mutilation, 

 which is so common as to be apparently incident to all. The body then 

 seems an empty sac : yet, by some elements of organization still preserved, 

 rather than to be ascribed to new depositation, it becomes turgid from 

 aljsorption of the circumambient fluid, the same as when entire. Per- 

 haps the absorbents, still unknown, may be connected witli the respira- 

 tory organs, which are certainly retained. I have never observed them 

 discharged along with the interanea. The precise quantum of organiza- 

 tion lost on such occasions merits farther investigation. It may compre- 

 hend some important parts which are readily overlooked. 



The position and functions of the respiratory organs are more 

 favourably exposed in the subject of the preceding paragraph, the Holo- 

 thuria pe>itactes. 



Professor Delle Chiaie remarks, that some of his Holothurige sur- 

 vived the loss of the intestinal canal fifteen days, not a few hours only, 

 as had been advanced by Bohadsch. It is uncertain whether either of 

 these authors had seen the fusus ; probably not. The latter, Bohadscli, 

 says he was " struck dumb with astonishment on finding the intestinal 

 canal fuU of sand, discharged from the posterior extremity of one" he 

 had carried home from the shore. He had concluded that the purpose 

 of this mutilation was for the intestine to carry out the ovarium along 

 with it. But he seems to have changed his opinion ; and he obviously 

 mistakes the ovarium for intestinal caeca. Bohadsch considers it almost 



