IIOLOTHURIA. 31 



It is ilillicult to account for such ruptures where the integuinent.- 

 are so strong. The cuticle of certain species is very thin, generally gray 

 or dark. But the substance next it, white, is so very hard and tmuzh 

 that an edfji-d instrument can hardly pierce it, for it equal* the oomdn- 

 tence of leather. The cartilaginous parts are also extremely tough and 

 strong. 



Perhaps the ruptures are consequent on violence, seen or unseen, 

 suffered by the subject. It is difficult to admit that such an incident 

 could take place without violence. Mr Adams, a skilful naturalist, who 

 lately accompanied Sir Edward Belcher during his interesting voyage in 

 tin- Eastern seas, and promises to throw much light on the history of the 

 lower animals, speaks of " a Holothuria with a soft, brown, tesselaU-d 

 integument, which on being touched suddenly ejects the entire contents 

 of its sacciform body, including the whole of the viscera and appendages 

 shrivels up, and immediately dies."* 



The period, the occurrence, and the degree of such ruptures in Con- 

 finement are uncertain. After preservation of the specimen Plate I. for 

 about a month or little more, prolapse commenced of the intestinal 

 organs, an invariable prognostic of death. The water became turbid, 

 while the specimen weakened, and the tentacula swept with feeble in- 

 curvature towards the mouth. Its adhesive faculty was gradually ini 

 paired, and having been entirely lost, it died after about six weeks cap- 

 tivity. 



As rupture of the body is a common concomitant on confinement, 

 prolapse of the intestinal organs is alike frequent ; and from this acci- 

 dental injury, the Holothuria usually perishes. If otherwise, it dwindle* 

 down to small dimensions, and seems to die from mere inanition. 

 Tin- contracted body always bears little proportion to the size of Un- 

 healthy living animal ; and alter death, the tentacula often remain par- 

 tially expanded. But the reverse is also frequent. The disparities are 

 striking. A specimen extending, perhaps eighteen indies while in vigo- 

 rous life, will lie in a saucer five or six inches wide when dead. 



It is affirmed that the Holothuria penlactet lives naturally amoiu.' 

 Adami Notes of Belcher's Voyage of II. M. 8. Sammrang, ml. ii. p. 495. 



