HOLOTHUROIDE#. 289 
We have spoken of the strange suicidal tendency of the sea-stars : 
the Holothuria exhibit the same phenomena, but, having no brittle 
envelope like the sea-stars, it cannot break itself into bits in the 
presence of its disconcerted enemy ;. but kills itself in this manner : 
having some cause of grief and trouble—such, for instance, as the 
attack of an enemy or the pursuit of some fisherman—by a sudden 
and unexpected movement it ejects its teeth, its stomach, its digestive 
apparatus, and reduces itself to a simple empty membranous sac, 
with an unfurnished mouth ; and, as a singular fact, this empty sac 
still shrinks and contracts in the hand which grasps it. It must be 
admitted that this is a strange mode of evading its enemies: the 
soldier rarely throws his arms away in the moment of danger! But 
the Holothuria possesses a wonderful recuperative power also; and it 
is probably quite conscious, when it thus empties itself to disappoint 
its pursuer, that it'can promptly replace the organs which it has 
voluntarily parted with. 
Dr. Johnston relates that he had forgotten for some days to supply 
a Holothuria with a change of water. The creature, in consequence, 
ejected its tentacles, its buccal apparatus, digestive tubes, and a- 
portion of its ovaries. Still it was not dead, but was sensible to the 
least movement, and lived to reproduce all its organs anew. 
The habits of these animals are but little known. They inhabit 
the seas, and are spread over every latitude. Their very limited 
movements consist in a kind of reptation or crawling motion, 
produced by the undulations of their bodies or by the contractions of 
their feet. Some few species, however, can glide along very swiftly 
and gracefully. Holothuria are generally found in the act of creeping 
upon stones or on portions of submarine rock, but always in sheltered 
places, for they appear to dread the full blaze of light. They some- 
times find themseves caught by fishermen in their nets. If held in 
the hand they contract, their bodies become hard and rigid, and the 
sea-water with which they are filled is ejected with force. We need 
not add that fishermen reject with disdain the Holothuria taken in 
their nets ; the sea-cucumber has never been thought worthy of a place 
on our tables. “Truth is on this side, error on that,” is a maxim as 
true in morals as in cookery. The sea-cucumber, which Europeans 
disdain, is a favourite dish among the Chinese. The fishery, pre- 
paration of, and transport of these animals to market, plays an 
Important part in the commerce and industry of the East. One 
rather large species, the Holothuria tubulosa, in which, by-the-bye, a 
singular parasite fish (Péerasfer Fontanesiz) lives, is common in the 
Mediterranean. This species is eatable, and much relished at. 
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