98 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. VI. 



is more or less undeveloped and concealed in the mantle, the 

 gills forming leaflets also under its protection. These were 

 the sea-hares (Aplysia), of which at least two species lived 

 here — one, the most common, of a uniform brown colour ; 

 the other, of larger size, marked with sparse black blotches. 

 These animals are remarkable for their power, like the 

 cuttle, of pouring out an abundant secretion of a purplish 

 colour from the edge of the mantle, with which, when 

 alarmed, they stain the surrounding water. Another some- 

 what similar animal found here was the rich black Corio- 

 ceUa nigra, its flowing velvet mantle entirely concealing 

 its sheU at pleasure. 



In Ke-limg harbour, although I sought diligently, my 

 pains were rewarded by only two or three species of Nudi- 

 branchiata. Of these one was a small blue Doris, on Bush 

 Island; the other two were, however, both new species, 

 and interesting from their extreme beauty. One of these 

 was a Doris of a cream-colour, edged with orange, and 

 covered over the back with rich vermiUon marbling. But 

 the last was probably the type of a new genus, its mantle 

 capacious, of a rich variegated rose colour, edged with white, 

 and studded with translucent white spots — the whole body 

 so delicate as to be semi-transparent. Its movements were 

 wonderfully graceful; spreading the broad and transparent 

 mantle out wide on either side, and throwing back its long 

 tentacles, like ears, it swam about with a moderately rapid 

 vermicular but vertical motion, the head and taH being 

 thrown forward till they met above, and then partiaUy thrown 

 back, accompanied by a waving of the mantle from end to 

 end. 



Lying for some time at anchor in this harbour, some very 

 interesting marine animals came under notice from time to 



