CHITOX. 221 



iS^one among the retired dwellers of tlie ocean so long 

 eluded the pursuit of the natm-alist, but wherever found 

 they amply reward the labour of obtaining tliem_, so curious 

 are they, and singularly varied, so exc[uisitely adorned, 

 and yet, when casually looked upon, having apparently 

 little of outward beauty to commend them. 



Almost every sea, short of the circumpolar temperature, 

 contains different members of this genus, although unequally 

 distributed throughout this extended range. They are 

 most abundant on the south-west shores of America, Aus- 

 tralia, and Xew Zealand ; the Eastern Archipelago, Pacific 

 Islands, Cape of Good Hope, the TTest Indies, Sitka, and 

 the shores of Eui'ope and Asia. 



The peculiar structure of the genus CJiiton readily dis- 

 tinguishes him among the natives of the deep. But why 

 such a different conformation fi'om that which belongs to 

 the testaceous coatings of innumerable others ? Because 

 the habits and economy of this curious creature render it 

 needful that he should occasionally roll together into a ball, 

 like the hedgehog or porcupine, on the approach of danger; 

 and by this ingenious expedient he is not only efiectually 

 protected from the attacks of his numerous enemies, but 



