136 FEROCITY OF DISPOSITION. 



It would bo a great mistake, however, to suppose that the 

 Nudibranchs are at all distinguished for gentleness or amiability. 

 On the contrary they are rather remarkable, like some favourites 

 of a higher grade, for petulance and irritability ; and in the 

 matter of feeding they are not only carnivorous, but guilty at 

 times of positive cannibalism. One beautiful little Nudibranch 

 (Eolis coronata), common on our northern coasts, is perfectly 

 ferocious in its way ; and it is said that, if a number of them are 

 kept together without food for a short time, they set to and 

 battle with each other in the most truculent fashion. In 

 preparing for the attack, they angrily raise and shake their 

 numerous papillae, and then laying back their horns, as a vicious 

 horse lays back his ears, they dash together, and maul and 

 mutilate each other like tiny beasts of prey. The larger ones, 

 in their tussles with each other, seldom do more than tear from 

 each other's backs the gaily-tinted breathing organs ; but if a large 

 one falls upon a weaker brother, the doom of the latter is sealed, 

 as he is pretty sure to make a meal for his more powerful as- 

 sailant. 



One of the commonest of the Nudibranchs, and one of the 

 best for the Aquarium, though by no means one of the most 

 elegant, is Eolis papilosa; it is about an inch and a half iii 

 length, and is very lively in its habits, creeping about very 

 quickly over the weeds and stones, and exhibiting a singular 

 predilection for squeezing its delicate body into every crack and 

 crevice it can discover. But let the owner of the little beauty 

 look well to its provender ; for if there be any remissness on that 

 point, you will find papilosa foraging for himself, and in all 

 probability feasting on some pet Anemone, for which kind of 

 fare the entire race of Nudibranchs have a most inconvenient 

 partiality. 



