HOLOTHURIA. 75 



In a week, fig. 10, the anterior portion of the Holothuria, sundered 

 again near the middle ; so that, what originally constituted one entire 

 animal, now consisted of three parts. Afterwards, another portion sun- 

 dered from one of the five parts at that time in the vessel ; but from 

 which I could not determine. If from the smaller Holothuria, each ani- 

 mal had subdivided into three. All continued shifting then- places ; 

 some of them occasionally displaying the tentacula, until May 27, of the 

 following year, when, on renewing the sea-water, this arborescent appa- 

 ratus was displayed by the whole six. 



A small grey mass was detached from one of them in August. One 

 or other specimen had thus subdivided four times. But on November 

 19, or seventeen months after they had come into my possession, only 

 one portion of the whole survived. 



The subdivision of these animals does not appear to result either from 

 constraint or from injury. If a natural process, however, it is a very 

 singular mode of multiplication, — for there is no doubt that each frag- 

 ment becomes a perfect animal ; nay, there is nothing to shew that the 

 creature undei'going such a disruption, suffers very mucli from it. 



I cannot discover that any precise rule go%'erns the time of divi- 

 sion, or regulates the number of parts. 



Both the animals and the parts present a singular, and sometimes 

 a very uncouth appearance. 



A specimen two inches long, recovered on July 21, divided into 

 two halves nearly equal on the 25th. — Plate XIV. figs. 16, 17. In the 

 night of the 29th, the posterior half, fig. 17, subdivided, whereby the 

 entire Holothuria was now in three parts. Tliese parts, which were de- 

 lineated on August 5, bemg fig. 18, the upper half of fig. 17 ; fig. 19, 

 being the under half of fig. 17 ; and fig. 20 the same as fig. 16, now seen 

 at the later date of August 5, that period comprehending a week, and 

 the animal now somewhat more extended. 



A specimen, fig. 4, obtained on August 3, was delineated August 5 ; 

 also, a fragment procured on August 3, delineated August 5, fig. 21. 



Another specimen of a dark colour, obtained on August 3, though 

 delineation was omitted, presented some pecuUarities. It proved x'ather 



