Marvels of the Universe 



217 



bCAL\ SEA CUCUiMBER. 



Another slug-like form from the Kurile Islands. The upper side is covered by 

 and the mouth with its circle of feelers looks like a chimney. 



large 



The term Beche de Mer 

 (literally French for " Sea 

 Spade ") is said to be 

 taken frorfi the shape of 

 the dried article, which 

 somewhat resembles a 

 spade : but some autho- 

 rities sa}^ it is derived 

 from the Portuguese bicho, 

 a worm or grub. The 

 term Trepang, which is 

 also apphed to the com- 

 mercial article, is simply 

 the Malay name for the 

 animal, Tripang. 



A number of different 

 kinds are indiscriininateh' 

 sold imder the name of Beche de Mer, so that it is not advisable to refer to any particular species 

 as being the dehcacy in question. The probability is that, after they have received the curing 

 treatment described, there is no great difference perceptible, and, after all, it is their glutinous 

 character that recommends them chiefly to the Chinaman's palate. 



Sea Cucumbers have not been found as such in a fossil state. All that has been found to show 

 that they did exist in remote periods are the anchors, gratings and wheels, such as are shown from 

 present-day examples on page 218. The oldest strata in which they have been found are those of 

 the Carboniferous Umestone. 



Certain of these Sea Cucumbers have for so long climbed over the rocks that they have 

 at length developed an upper and under side, the former supplied with three lines of sucker openings, 

 the latter with only two ; and this arrangement clearly shows the origin of this two-sided form, 

 especially as the two digestive openings are still situated at the two extremities of the body. This 

 transformation shows itself particularly clearly in the species which is illustrated at the top of this 

 page, where the mouth is thrown back upon the upper side at the end of a vertical chimney, and 

 this gives the creature the 

 appearance of a tiny loco- 

 motive \\-ithout wheels, but 

 with smoke issuing from 

 the funnel in the shape of 

 branched tentacles. 



But to see still greater 

 variations in the appear- 

 ance of these Sea Cucum- 

 bers it is necessary to go 

 to the species which live 

 in the greater depths of 

 the sea. Here there are 

 many whose former sym- 

 metry is made manifest 

 by the presence of a mouth 

 on the inferior surface of 

 the body. Sometimes this 



A SPINY SEA CUCUMBER. 



This species conforms more to the 

 names, but it differs in the fact that 

 branch-lilte. 



thape which has given these animals their popular 

 it is covered with spines, and the feelers are not 



