THE LANCELET. 



349 



head, and its orifice is crossed by numerous cirrhi, averaging from twelve to fifteen 

 on each side. Altogether, it really seems to be a less perfect and less developed animal 

 than many of the higher molluscs. 



The habits of this remarkable fish are very curious ; and it will be better to give the 

 original accounts in the words of the narrators, than to condense or paraphrase them. 



The first history of the Lancelet is given by Mr. Couch, who was the first captor 

 of the fish on the British coasts. He saw its transparent tail projecting from beneath a 

 stone on the shore at low tide, and swept it into his hand together with some water 

 " When alive," writes Mr. Couch, " this fish had a very evident though diaphanous fin, 

 extending from near the snout round the extremity of the tail, which it encircled in 

 the manner of the same organ in the eel, and terminating at the vent. This specimen 

 was not found in a pool, but lay buried in a small quantity of sand, at about fifty 

 feet from the receding tide ; and 

 on turning over a small flat stone 

 that was on the sand the tail of 

 the fish appeared exposed. 



When moved, it exhibited 

 signs of great activity, so that the 

 head could not readily be dis- 

 tinguished from the tail; and as 

 there can be no doubt that the 

 fish had sought the shelter of the 

 sand in which it was found, there 

 is little question that mud is its 

 usual habitation ; a circumstance 

 still more probable by its want 

 of eyes. 



It was discovered on the 21st 

 of December, 1831, after a heavy 

 storm that had torn it from its 

 native situation, which, from its 

 rarity, we may suppose to be in 

 deep water. In February, 1838, 

 I obtained two other specimens, 

 which had been thrown up by a 

 tempest. The largest measured 

 two inches and three-tenths in 

 length, which enabled me to discern still more of the internal structure of this fish." 



Several other specimens have been obtained, mostly scraped up in the dredge. 

 On the coasts of the Mediterranean this fish is not uncommon ; and the following 

 interesting account of some of its habits is given by Mr. Wilde, in his narrative of a 

 voyage to the Madeiras, Teneriffe, and along the shores of the Mediterranean. After 

 describing the general appearance of the fish, he proceeds as follows : 



" These little animals had a power of attaching themselves to each other in a 

 remarkable manner, -sometimes clustering together, and at others forming a string six 

 or eight inches long , the whole mass seemed to swim in unison and with great rapidity 

 going round the vessel in a snake-like form and motion. They adhered to each other by 

 their flat sides, when in line, the head of one coming up about one-third on the body of 

 the one before it ; no doubt those sides are of use in forming this attachment. 



The mouth was a circular disc surrounded by cilia that continued in constant motion. 

 When put into a tumbler of water it moved round the glass, and although no eyes 

 were perceptible, it carefully avoided the finger or any substance put in its way, stopping 

 suddenly, or turning aside from it. Both these animals, when taken out of the water, 

 kept up a strong pulsatory motion for some time. The small one by this means pumped 

 out of its interior a quantity of air and water ; and they could be seen corning to the 

 surface to inhale, and a globule of air was observed floating through the internal cavity. 



LANCELET. AmpMoaits lanceolatus. 



