HOLOTHURIA. . .:: 



tuM extremities; some are folded double; and in a great numl-i. it 

 not in nil. the ova are arranged in more than a single row, Phm- XI 

 fig. 9 : end of a rope, enlarged, fig. 10 : extremity of rope*, enlarged, 

 fig. 11 



When preparing to shew a naturalist of my acquaintance such 

 object*, he assured me that no one ha<l ever seen the ovum of a Holo- 

 thuria. Certainly very little is said of it. 



In all instances, excepting two, the ova have been green of different 

 shades, or yellowish. The ovariuui u>nded to purple in one, it was red 

 in the other. When protruding by an accidental rupture, it resembles 

 a mop or brush. 



Tin- specimen Plate VIII., fig. 2, lost the whole arborescent appa- 

 ratus within two or three days of it capture. Nevertheless it seemed 

 still plump and full of spawn. In ten days a large ovarium, composed 

 of numerous ropes, protruded like a brush, the ova irregularly distributed 

 in one, two, or three rows, all of a greenish-yellow. Probably the rope* 

 are in reality long and folded, they have some appearance of being 

 tubular, which may be deceptive. In the course of extent they are of 

 unequal diameter. The ova are minute, spherical, or slightly ovoidal, 

 consisting of a nucleus within albuminous matter. A few have oc- 

 curred of a yellow colour ; but green, greenish, or greenish yello w. is the 

 common hue, Plate XL, figs. 5, 6. 12, 13, 14, 15. Their natural a 

 appears in fig. 12. 



Spawning has ensued in February, March, April, May, and June. 

 when many thousand ova have been produced by single individuals. 



But to my great concern, spite of the most careful treatment, none 

 have ever proved fertile. On no occasion having been from large speci- 

 mens, I was almost induced to conjecture that the Holothuria must be 

 of a certain age before the spawn is prolific, a fact not likely. I ' <>nfew. 

 1'iit which is to be ascertained only by future observation. 



It would be very interesting to behold the development of t he- 

 young from the ovum, and to follow the ]> Digressive evolution nf the 

 part*. But I have not been so favoured. It is by the merest chance 

 that smaller specimen- can fall into the hands >(' the ol>scr\er. Kn.m 



