BECHE-DE-MER. 265 



is to say, not much to windward (eastward) of the 180th 

 meridian. It reaches usually when at maturity to about 18 

 inches long, and somewhat less in circumference. The colour 

 is a slatey grey, and it is distinguished from the other species 

 by having upon either side a row of little protuberances like 

 teats. It frequents the flat reef and the sandy bottom of 

 shallow lagoons. The black beche-de-mer lives only on clean 

 sandy bottoms, at a depth from knee-deep at low-water down 

 to 10 fathoms. It grows large, sometimes as long as 30 inches, 

 and as thick as a man's leg. On the back and sides it is jet 

 black, smooth and bright like enamelled leather; the under- 

 side is a bluish, slatey grey. When very old it becomes en- 

 crusted with small shells. The red kind is the smallest, and of 

 least value ; it seldom attains more than a foot in length, 

 usually less. It lives upon the coral reef, in the greatest pro- 

 fusion towards the outer edge, where the surf is continuously 

 breaking. In this respect it differs essentially from the beach 

 kind, which delights in quiet waters and smooth sand, and will 

 not live either near noisy waves or on rough coral rocks. The 

 leopard kind grows as large as the largest of the black ; it is 

 of an olive-green colour, variegated Avith green spots, surrounded 

 by an orange-coloured rim, hence its name. It has another 

 peculiarity : all beche-de-mer are harmless when laid hold of 

 but this one. When touched it ejects a quantity of slender 

 filaments, something like white cotton lamp-wick ; it can pro- 

 duce several hanks of it, so to speak. It is glutinous, and 

 whatever it touches, it attaches itself to it in the most tena- 

 cious manner.* This would not signify if it were merely 



* It is probably furnished with the same adhesive apparatus peculiar to 

 the anemones of our own shores each tentacle of which is equipped with 

 myriads of minute javelins which are darted out the instant anything 

 comes within their touch, each javelin being connected to the tentacle by 

 a fine thread. 



