192 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XII. 



examination of these little mollusks, however, they proved 

 to be species of Eulima. The shells were very transparent 

 and delicate, and the body of the animal could be dis- 

 tinctly seen through them with a lens ; the black eyes also, 

 surrounded with yellow irides, were easily seen through the 

 sheU. 



The star-fishes, when taken up for examination, usually 

 ejected a jet of water from the centre of the dorsal surface, 

 the serrated edges of the plates of which opened beside'the 

 tubercle ; little jets of water also spurted out from the 

 extremities of each of the rays. 



Two or three species of Holothuria were met with ; but 

 one, a large black one, abounds here and in most other 

 places. This is the Trepang of commerce, and is collected 

 largely by the Chinese, and dried and eaten by them. Upon 

 them I usually found StUifers in the neighbourhood of the 

 giU-tufts. On being touched they emit, with great violence, 

 a large mass of tenacious, bluish threads, which stick to the 

 hand with such adhesive force that it is difficult to rub them 

 off, but no irritation ensues. Holothurise of any species are 

 difficult to preserve alive, since they usually eviscerate them- 

 selves on the first night after their capture. The Stilifers, 

 however, are more readily discovered when the animal is 

 dead, as, during life, the contraction of the orifice draws 

 them in out of sight. 



With regard to the other marine productions of Labuan, 

 two or three rocky reefs running out on the east side of the 

 island gave me many opportunities of searching for littoral 

 animals at low tidej and although my searches failed to 

 discover some species which I was particularly anxious to 

 meet with, there was plenty to reward patient investigation. 

 One could not help feeling that there was a certain amount 



