12 MANNERS OF EOLIDES. 



gilled Mollusc a, wliicli were adhering to the surface of 

 the loose stones, awaiting the return of tide. The large 

 grey Eolis i)apillosa^ the little Boris hilamellata, and 

 a more minute buff-coloured species of Boris, I took 

 here ; and the pretty green Polycera ocellata was nu- 

 merous ; but the most abundant, and at the same 

 time the most lovely species was the exquisite Eolis 

 coronata, with tentacles surrounded by membranous 

 coronets, and with crowded clusters of papillae, of 

 crimson and blue that reflect the most gem-like 

 radiance. 



I brought home my captives and placed them in a 

 vase of sea-water to observe their manners. When out 

 of water they exhibit nothing of their peculiar beauty, 

 and if the searcher has not a sharp eye, he may 

 readily overlook them ; they look like little shapeless 

 lumps of fibrous jelly. But on being dropped into 

 water, no sooner do they feel the bottom and begin 

 to crawl, than all the clustering branchiae are separated 

 and waved, the long oral tentacles are thrown from 

 side to side, and the pellucid animal glides quickly 

 along with a graceful even motion. Both the species 

 oi Eolis hxi^X\Q up their branchiae and throw them 

 forward when irritated. One or two of my specimens 

 had lost some of their tufts of these organs, which 

 were evidently sprouting again. I think that they 

 lost some while in captivity. 



E. coronata was very active, continually gliding 

 with a uniform motion around the sides of the vessel, 

 or climbing about the numerous branching sea-weeds, 

 that were growing in it. They frequently crawled 

 close to the edge of the water, but never came actually 



