HOLOTHURIA. 83 



through where thickest. The body was hard to the touch, resisting and 

 elastic, all except the quadrangular comj^artment, which is always of a 

 different nature, the skm being thick and soft. The remainder, espe- 

 cially towards the extremities, was dry and corrugated, cutting like old 

 fir bark. When laid open, six strong muscular bands run down the 

 whole length. I did not remark that any one had been divided, so as 

 to reduce that number. A large ovarium was exposed, consisting of 

 numerous long ropes, with small distinct ova of orpiment orange co- 

 lour, apparently not far from maturity. The contracted tentacula were 

 reddish. A blackish, thick, and very offensive fluid partly occupied the 

 cavity of the anterior portion. 



MuUer remarks the difficult}- of dissecting these animals, which pro- 

 bably has been very seldom attempted, more from want of opportunity-, 

 perhaps, than want of inclination. 



In the course of twenty-one years, I have been able to obtain only 

 six specimens, whereof none other than that represented was in a condi- 

 tion fit for dehneation : Nor would this have been effected without the 

 most cautious treatment of the animal, and the patient services of a 

 skilful artist, Mr John Hew Johnson. 



I have not been so fortunate as to meet with any other figure hav- 

 ing the arborescence displayed, though several may be seen without it. 

 I must therefore conclude it to be an unusual incident, and that living 

 and vigorous specimens occur very rarely. 



Plate XV. Holotliuria phantapus. 



Besides the species of Holothurise above described, more have occur- 

 red to me in the course of researches, extending for at least thirty years. 

 But the subjects were either greatly mutilated, in a feeble or dving state 

 — many actually dead, and in decay, so that, on the whole, neither size, 

 nor figure, nor the true nature of the animals could be determined, or 

 their real appearance delineated satisfactorily. 



I have been sometimes much perplexed regarding the identity of 

 specimens, such as whether what I judged the Holothuriafusus, when of 



