MARINE ZOOLOGY OF ARRAN. 259 



prey. The following characters will be sufficient for iden- 

 tification : Body cylindrical, smooth, adhering by a broad 

 base; tentacles numerous, longer than the body, and unlike 

 those of the Actiniae, these arms cannot be retracted, or are 

 scarcely retractable, into the body of the animal. It attains 

 in this neighbourhood the size of about three inches, measured 

 from the base to the oral disc, or mouth ; and it is of a light 

 brown, or dull ash colour. Beds of the Zostera marina occur 

 at Lainlash, on the sandy shore opposite the village; also, on 

 Holy Island, not far from St. Molios' Cave; but, even where 

 the sea wrack does not grow, AntJiea cereus may be found 

 attached to one of the commonest of our sea-weeds Fucus 

 serratus. The other species Adamsia palliata will not so 

 readily be discovered by the casual visitor, for it prefers the 

 deep water. The dredge, when let down to ten or twenty 

 fathoms, will often bring up a dozen specimens at a time. 

 This zoophyte may be grouped amongst the most curious of 

 creatures. It will be sure, when once seen, to arrest attention. 

 Its habitat, or dwelling-place, is the exterior wall of a deserted 

 shell, as, for example, the dead shell of a buccinum, or whelk, 

 or of a trochus, or fusus, over the greater part of which the 

 animal is extended as a flattened mass about three-tenths of 

 an inch in thickness, varying from a light brown to cream 

 colour, and having the whole surface of its body streaked 

 and spotted. The situation of the oral disc is distinguished 

 by three or four rows of tentacula, short and white, forming 

 an oval margin round the mouth. A thin substance, like 

 horn, will be observed covering part of the empty shell, to 

 which horny material the body of the Adamsia is attached ; 

 and, when excited, apparently by pleasure, as with feeding, 

 it emits long filaments, like white threads or delicate silk 

 cords. But a singular circumstance has yet to be men- 

 tioned: The dead shell, over which the zoophyte is spread, 

 is generally inhabited by a hermit crab, and always, as is 

 supposed, by the same species, namely Pagurus Prideauxii. 

 It is exceedingly curious to watch how advantageously to 



