642 THE TRE PANGS. 



link between these two great divisions, for in its person radiism sets and annulism begins. 

 The end of the body, which is concealed within the shell, is capable of being enlarged into a 

 bulb-like shape, which enables the creature to maintain a firm hold of its shelly retreat, and 

 the other extremity is furnished with an external proboscis, at the end of which is a small 

 circlet of tentacles. 



Several species of this genus are eatable and held in great estimation by the Chinese, who 

 catch them in a very ingenious manner. The EDIBLE SIPUNCULUS lives in holes in the sand, 

 and always keeps the mouth of its burrow open. The Chinese fishermen arm themselves with 

 a bundle of slender wooden rods, tapered to a point at one end, and having a little round knob 

 at the extremity of the point. They proceed to the sands at low water, and drop one of these 

 rods into each burrow, where they leave it for twelve hours. During this time the Sipunculus 

 is sure to swallow the button, and as the elastic tissues contract it is unable to release itself ; 

 and when the tide has again retreated, the rod, with the Sipunculus attached, is drawn out of 

 the burrow by the fishermen. 



The species which we are now examining is very careful of its own comfort, and in order 

 to make the entrance of its shell exactly suitable to its own size, it stops up the aperture with 

 sand and similar substances. 



A rather curions creature, notable for the long tuft-like appendage at its extremity, is the 

 TAILED PRIAPULUS, a species which is found in the southern seas, and occasionally taken off 

 the English coasts. A curious bundle of threads at its extremity is supposed to serve the 

 purpose of respiratory organs. It has a retractile proboscis, but no tentacles round the mouth. 



The SYRINX is distinguished from the Sipunculus by the proboscis, which in these creatures 

 is rather short, and has an indented tentacular fold round the mouth. The generic name, 

 Syrinx, is derived from the resemblance of the creature to the reed from which the ancient 

 pipes were made. This species has a wonderful capacity for changing its shape. The SPOON- 

 WORM is so called on account of the spoon-like appendage to the proboscis. Behind the pro- 

 boscis are two shining, hook-like bristles. All the members of this genus are remarkable for 

 the wonderful power of contraction and expansion possessed by the skin, and the extraordinary 

 manner in which they can alter their shape. In consequence of this extremely contractile 

 structure, the whole of the water contained in the body is spurted out as soon as a wound is 

 made, and intestines are seen to be forced out after the water. One species of Thalassema is 

 used as bait by fishermen. 



All these species belong to the family Sipunculidae. 



The examples next described belong to the family HOLOTHURTD^E, and are popularly 

 known by the name of SEA CUCUMBERS, or SEA PUDDINGS. In these the body is mostly cylin- 

 drical, and is covered with a tough, leathery skin, upon which are placed a number of scattered 

 chalky particles. The mouth is surrounded with a set of retractile tentacles. 



Some species of this family are eaten by the Chinese, and a large trade is carried on in 

 these strange products of the sea ; the annual merchandise being worth about two hundred 

 thousand pounds. The price of the TREPANGS (Psolus phantapus), as they are called, is very 

 variable, according to the species, some kinds being comparatively cheap, and costing rather 

 less than two pounds per hundredweight, while others will fetch thirty pounds for the same 

 weight. There are, besides, "fancy prices" for some very scarce species of Trepang, which, 

 however, are likely to be equalled in real value by the cheaper and commoner kinds. 



They seem to be very unattractive creatures, black, wrinkled, and looking much as if they 

 had been made out of the upper-leather of old shoes. They are, however, convertible into a 

 rich and palatable soup, and are also stewed in various ways, taking, in fact, the same rank 

 among the Chinese that turtle does with us. The Trepang is prepared for the market by being 

 carefully opened and cleansed, laid in lime, and then dried, either in the sun or over wooden 

 fires. 



The Psolus is allied to a form which is often brought up on the fishermen's hooks on 

 Georges' Banks. It is about six inches in length, composed on the exterior of a series of 

 calcareous scales, arranged like those on fishes; these are of a brick red color, sometimes of 

 brilliant scarlet. One end, the mouth, is furnished with a flowing array of branching shrub- 



