96 SAGARTIAD^. 



organs ; sometimes by a few of the most anterior ones, 

 when the "base is thrown up at an angle, in a somewhat 

 undignified fashion. Occasionally I have seen a specimen 

 which had attached itself thus to a stone, or the side of a 

 vessel, and had, by its own weight or other cause, removed 

 a little from its attachment, — still fastened by two or three 

 suckers, which were unnaturally stretched out to a length 

 of the sixth of an inch, and a proportionate tenuity, resem- 

 bling the suckers of a Holothuria. 



Some observed facts indicate a considerable tenacity of 

 life in this species. On the 5th of October last Mr. West 

 inclosed in a small tin canister three specimens with a 

 little damp weed, but without water. The box was then 

 addressed to me, and committed on the same day to the 

 post-office at Leeds ; where, however, owing to the oozing 

 forth of a slight wetness, it was detained. In the course of 

 a few days I informed him that it had not arrived ; but my 

 friend residing out of the town, and my letter arriving on 

 Saturday evening, he was not able to obtain from the 

 over-scrupulous postmaster the suspicious missive, until 

 Monday morning, the 12th — a week (within five hours) of 

 the animals' imprisonment. Of course he expected to 

 find them in a pretty advanced state of decomposition ; 

 but, on removing the lid, saw at once that the case was 

 not hopeless. They were immediately treated to the long- 

 foregone luxury of a bath of sea-water ; and though one of 

 them was liors de combat, the other two recovered, and lived 

 to bear the journey to Devonshire under better auspices. 



To the same kind friend I owe the possession of the 

 lovely var. lilacina, and the following playful note of its 

 endurings : — " It is one of the French consignment, and 

 has led almost a charmed life. Soon after my letter to you 

 [dated Jan. 27], written after their arrival, I fancied the 

 water in one of the vases was becoming foul, and therefore 



