304 TREPANG. 



surface, while in the small Sea-Cucumber (Psolus 

 phantapus), they are arranged in three rows 

 upon a soft, oblong, flat disc, situated beneath the 

 body of the animal, like the foot of a gasteropod 

 mollusc. 



Of one genus the Trepang many species are 

 eaten by the omnivorous inhabitants of the Celestial 

 Empire, by whom it is employed in the preparation 

 of ' nutritious soups, in common with an esculent 

 sea-weed, shark's fins, edible birds' nests, and other 

 materials affording much jelly.' The intestines, 

 which are generally found to be filled with coral, 

 and solid masses of madreporic rock, are extracted, 

 and the animal then boiled in sea water and dried 

 in smoke. 



Nothing can possibly be less enticing than the 

 black and shrivelled carcases of these defunct gas- 

 teropods, as tkey are seen spread out and exposed 

 for sale in the China markets. There are many 

 varieties of Trepang, some being held in higher 

 esteem than others, hence the great difference 

 which exists in the price of the article. The lowest 

 quality being ten dollars, and the highest fifty dol- 

 lars, per pecul of 133 ibs. 



The following are titles by which a few of the 

 Holothurise are known in China : 



Great Black-Stone Trepang ; 



Peach-blossom Trepang ; 



Great White-Stone Trepang ; 



