172 ^Ir. C. W. Peach on the " Niffc/e?- " or " Cotton Spinner" 



First, then, their appearance, when closed up, very much re- 

 sembles a small cucumber, the back being dark — almost black at 

 times — and the under part light yellowish green, which, with 

 the thorn-like appendages on the back, make the appearance more 

 complete. On being handled they stain the hand light green : 

 this colour is not easily washed out. The head is furnished with 

 twenty tentacula, which surround the mouth ; the opening is to- 

 lerably large, and can be very much expanded ; and it is amusing 

 to watch the motions of the tentacula acting as feeders ; they 

 place them one by one over the mouth, and when one is about to 

 leave the mouth another may be seen bending to supply its place. 

 The tentacula vary in colour as well as the animals. Some ai-e very 

 dark brown, and indeed all shades from sienna to rose-colom* 

 and delicate pink. If the tentacula are viewed from the upper 

 part they are club-shaped on the top, this club being placed on a 

 foot-stalk an inch in length, which is retractile, and is invariably 

 of a lighter colour than the top. When seen from the under side, 

 (PI. XIV. fig. 2,) they appear like the umbels of the elder, and are 

 beautifully branched and tipped, much in the manner of the elder 

 flowers ; indeed they might be mistaken (if large enough) for that 

 flower, only the foot-stalk is so much thicker in proportion. There 

 is a dark spot at the junction of each fork of the umbel, each di- 

 vision is thrice-branched, and a similar dark spot may be ob- 

 served at the lower part of each tentacle. They can completely 

 close in their tentacula, which they do on being disturbed ; and 

 they use them at times as organs of locomotion. Outside the ten- 

 tacula is a border of spines like processes on a skin, which reaches 

 a short way up the tentacula, and serves as a covering when these 

 are withdrawn. These spines very much resemble the thorns of 

 the brier ; the back and sides are covered with similar ones, but 

 not in rows. Near the tip of each spine is a small calcareous 

 piece which is again tipped with dark. The under side is fur- 

 nished with feelers in very great numbers ; these feelers are in 

 four rows, the two centre ones being nearest together. The feelers 

 being in four rows only is singular, being a departnre from the 

 usual numbers in the Echinodermata, namely five. Still I saw 

 only/owr rows in several. It is a most difficult matter to be able 

 to count the rows, from the slimy and decomposing nature of the 

 animal. I mil follow this up and try to set the matter at rest ; 

 at present I am satisfied they have only four rows. They very 

 much resemble those of an Echinus, but are not in equal num- 

 bers in each row, being from one to four, side by side, across the 

 row. These feelers they stretch out to a great length, and attach 

 themselves firmly by them ; so much so, that in trying to detach 

 them the feelers have been frequently left behind. Each feeler 

 has a small, round, calcareous plate at the tip, which, under the 



