LANCELET. 417 



place, although a portion of its body may be at times protruded; 

 and as it is altogether destitute of eyes, however sensitive 

 otherwise to impressions of touch or motion, it seems but 

 little fitted to a life aloft, where it would be exposed to 

 perpetual hazard from the devouring inhabitants of the sea. 

 Within its narrow sphere, however, it may be capable of 

 considerable activity, as well as of enjoyment, for which, by 

 some peculiarities of organization it seems sufficiently provided. 

 What has been noticed of its motions in captivity is here 

 brought together; but the principal interest attached to this 

 fish is derived from its very singular structure, which, while it 

 tends to place it lowest in the scale of descent, affords also 

 some particulars in which it claims a higher place, at least than 

 the Borer; and in a physiological view it stands distinct from 

 every other. 



In "The Naturalist" for 1852, p. 30, Mr. Lukis, of Guernsey, 

 gives an account of a specimen of the Lancelet which he caught 

 at the Island of Herm, and kept alive for several weeks. 

 Himself obtained it at low-Avater mark by having his attention 

 directed to it through its actions. Although not possessed of 

 eyes, it shewed great sensibility to light (for which its large 

 although concealed optic nerve will account) when a candle was 

 brought into the room. Its activity was so great that it jumped 

 out of the bowl in which it was kept; and it darted into the 

 sand with great ease and swiftness; but when not disturbed it 

 rested at about half an inch below the surface of the sand, 

 inclining a little on its side. Dr. Vigurs at Falmouth remarks 

 of an example two inches in length, taken as this fish usually 

 is, by dredging, that it was very active, its motion being like 

 that of an Eel; it burrowed in the sand, and often protruded 

 about half an inch of the body out of the sand with its mouth 

 upwards; it always swam with the ventral margin and mouth 

 uppermost; and when moved from its lurking-place it rapidly 

 returned to it. If disturbed three or four times in succession 

 it lay on its side without motion; a circumstance which goes 

 to prove that this very active motion is soon followed with 

 fatigue, as is also shewn by W. P. Cocks, Esq., also of Falmouth. 

 This gentleman observes that his example swam rapidly with a 

 wriggling or snake-like motion for a second or two, and then 

 suddenly settled down at the bottom of the vessel; where it 



VOL. IV. 3 H 



