140 THE SEA-SIDE AND AQUAEIUM. 



its hands quickly over its breast, shrinking, like the 

 sensitive plant, in evident alarm. But now, this dan- 

 dified mollusc, with his milk-white coat and purple- 

 tipped streamers waving therefrom, not only touched 

 my pet, but insidiously crawled about, and by slow 

 degrees detached it entire from the disc, the tentacles 

 not being in the slightest degree contracted during 

 the whol6 of the manoeuvre. When this was done, 

 he dragged down the unsuspecting creature, and, ser- 

 pent-like, crept forward until he reached her pretty 

 golden lips. Then, and then only, did she infold her 

 blossom, and, 



" Like a lily drooping, 

 Bow her head and die." 



Next morning, having despatched his meal, the 

 Eolis appeared highly delighted with himself; and to 

 shew that his gormandising had had no bad effect 

 upon his usual graceful gait, but on the contrary 

 had rather exhilarated his spirits, he marched prettily 

 up the sides of the tank. Thereafter, to my great 

 astonishment, he walked on the surface of the water, 

 like a fly upon the ceiling of a room, head down- 

 ward* ! 



Such an occurrence is by no means unusual with 

 this class of animals; but it struck me at the time 

 as being very curious, as I had not had any oppor- 

 tunity of witnessing it before. I have often done so 

 since. 



Mr Gosse, in his " Natural History of Mollusca," 

 explains the operation thus : 



