98 PLANARIA. 



issues from the anterior part of the under surface ; and at some distance 

 further down is seen the stomach, distributing its numerous cceca to the 

 very margin of the body. Finer specimens are speckled red above paler 

 below. Many are of plain, uniform, cream yellow. But the colour de- 

 pends greatly on the nature of the food, by -which the aspect of the animal 

 is entirely changed. Most of those vividly speckled when taken from 

 the sea, become quite pale on protracted confinement. Plate XIV. fig. 1. 

 back ; fig. 2, belly. 



It is only on repletion with food of peculiar quality, that the beau- 

 tiful interanea can be discovered. Nor is it easy to describe the difficulty 

 of representing them accurately, from the size, motion, and opacity of 

 the subject. An expert artist, Mr Daniel M'Culloch, succeeded only 

 after the labour of many hours, and the exercise of extraordinary patience. 

 Their appearance in an enlarged view is exhibited at fig. 3. Their horns 

 may be computed at a sixteenth of the length of the body, perhaps elongat- 

 ing more in proportion to the increase of size. It is doubtful whether 

 their office is in any respect tentacular, because they are always carried 

 upright, or incline a little when the animal is in motion. 



But this is a slugglish inactive creature, unless when stimulated by 

 heat or hunger. It is very impatient of any, unless the gentlest, augmen- 

 tation of temperature. 



The body is smooth ; it is protected from abrasion by a glutinous 

 secretion, which, perhaps, is also instrumental in its agglutination to the 

 same spot, should it remain long motionless. 



All the Planarise feed on animal substance, and many eat voraciously. 



The natural habitation of the Horned Planaria is at the depth of 

 some fathoms in the sea. In confinement, a shell or stone should be 

 provided for its retreat, as it is induced by the smoothness of a glass vessel 

 to crawl so far above the surface of the water, that the glutinous matter 

 is exhausted, when it becomes incapable of returning, and perishes. 

 Also, if the vessel be brimful, it glides over the edge. 



The regenerative properties of the animal are great. Desperate 

 wounds and lacerations heal speedily. It survives extraordinary mutila- 

 tions, whether accidental or experimental. A specimen having lost the 



