312 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



imperceptible thread like that of a small Spider. The thread 

 proceeded from the foot of the mollusc. When the foot was 

 touched with the finger, a thread was drawn out as the finger was 

 slowly moved away, and when the finger was lifted in the air 

 the animal remained suspended to it for a long time, and for a 

 great distance — more than three feet ; even when moved about 

 considerably, and otherwise somewhat severely tested, the crea- 

 ture did not fall ; and more than a score were experimented 

 upon, always with the same result. The animal — in some at 

 least of these cases — hung, not in its native element, but in the 

 air. On June 28th and 29th more weed inhabited by this animal 

 was fished up, and B61anger again observed the creature's spin- 

 ning habits.* Speculating upon the use of the thread, he 

 remarks that the creature, born, living, and reproducing on 

 floating weed, incessantly tossed with more or less violence by 

 the very deep ocean, would be lost, when detached by a wave, had 

 it not this faculty of spinning a silk which, like a cable, holds it 

 to its habitat. On July 8th further weed was fished up, but the 

 molluscs were now less numerous ; and, having been out of the 

 water some time when experimented upon, but few remained 

 suspended after the weed had been shaken. Providing himself 

 with a bucket of sea-water, however, Belanger was able to make 

 several observations ; some of the animals adhered to his finger, 

 and hung therefrom, both in the air and in the water. An 

 individual which had lowered itself from the weed, on being 

 placed in the water, remained suspended, and, though moved 

 from one side of the bucket to the other, made to sink to the 

 bottom and lifted up again, it still retained its hold. At length 

 the observer allowed the weed to float on the surface, and after 

 some time, to his great satisfaction, he saw the animal ascend by 

 its thread, and replace itself upon the frond from which it had 

 been suspended. Others which were at the bottom of the bucket, 

 on being moved with a branch of weed, attached their silk to it ; 



* The author refers also to a bundle of weed, containing a quantity of 

 eggs, supposed, no doubt erroneously, to be those of Litiopa. The eggs were 

 united by numerous threads similar to those of the mollusc ; each egg was 

 attached by a particular thread, and the whole mass was so strongly fastened 

 together that it was with difficulty that a part was detached. This structure, 

 it can hardly be doubted, was the "nest" of the little Gulf- weed Fish, 

 Pterophryne. 



