34 
SAGAETIAD^. 
and hence the animals can scarcely he said to adhere in the 
manner of the family, hut simply to rest on the hroad 
hase. This is not, however, indicative of any defect in 
the power of adhesion ; for on being removed to a hasin 
of sea-water, they are soon found firmly attached to the 
bottom and sides. 
With these exceptions I have not found ielhs at Wey- 
mouth ; which is the more remarkable since the long ledges 
of low rock, broken into fissures, and excavated into num- 
berless hollows, would seem to present a favourable site for 
it. But since my residence there, it has yielded, in con- 
siderable abundance, the beautiful variety stellata ; which, 
as I understand, occurs to the north-east of the town. 
In Dr. Johnston’s Brit. Zooph. (p. 231) may be found 
some curious figures by Mr. Cocks, illustrative of the pro- 
tean mutability of shape manifested by this species. This 
depends on the power of distending the body generally 
with water, together with that of strongly constringiug 
some part, the constriction ever moving its place. 
Several of the Sagartia (as S. hellis, miniata, and 
troglodytes) have a singular habit of elongating to an im- 
mense extent one of the tentacles, while all the rest remain 
in the ordinary condition. The phenomenon has once or 
twice fallen under my own observation, but I will describe 
it in the words of some of my kind correspondents, who 
have from time to time directed my attention to it. 
It seems to have been first noticed in S. troglodytes by 
Mr. Hugh Owen of Bristol, who, in May, 18.56, mentioned 
the fact in a letter to me. Soon afterwards he observed the 
same phenomenon in “ a loosely-formed hellis, with longer 
tentamla than usual, found in a cave at Tenby.” “I was, a 
few days since,” he writes, “ watching it closely, wdien one 
tentacle began to extend itself ; and for an hour I watched 
its motions. The animal is about an inch and a half in 
