34 SAGARTIAD.E. 



and hence the animals can scarcely be said to adhere in the 

 manner of the family, but simply to rest on the broad 

 base. This is not, however, indicative of any defect in 

 the power of adhesion ; for on being removed to a basin 

 of sea-water, they are soon found firmly attached to the 

 bottom and sides. 



With these exceptions I have not found bellis at Wey- 

 mouth ; which is the more remarkable since the long ledges 

 of low rock, broken into fissures, and excavated into num- 

 berless hollows, would seem to present a favourable site for 

 it. But since my residence there, it has yielded, in con- 

 siderable abundance, the beautiful variety stellata ; which, 

 as I understand, occurs to the north-east of the town. 



In Dr. Johnston's Brit. Zooph. (p. 231) may be found 

 some curious figures by Mr. Cocks, illustrative of the pro- 

 tean mutability of shape manifested by this species. This 

 depends on the power of distending the body generally 

 with water, together with that of strongly constringing 

 some part, the constriction ever moving its place. 



Several of the Sagartice (as 8. bellis, miniata, and 

 troglodytes) have a singular habit of elongating to an im- 

 mense extent one of the tentacles, while all the rest remain 

 in the ordinary condition. The phenomenon has once or 

 twice fallen under my own observation, but I will describe 

 it in the words of some of my kind correspondents, who 

 have from time to time directed my attention to it. 



It seems to have been first noticed in S. troglodytes by 

 Mr. Hugh Owen of Bristol, who, in May, 1856, mentioned 

 the fact in a letter to me. Soon afterwards he observed the 

 same phenomenon in " a loosely-formed bellis, with longer 

 tentacula than usual, found in a cave at Tenby." " I was, a 

 few days since," he writes, "watching it closely, when one 

 tentacle began to extend itself; and for an hour I watched 

 its motions. The animal is about an inch and a half in 



