VOYAGE FROM IXDIA TO SIAM AND MALACCA. 113 



were only small ; also a larg^e quantity of the common Actinias 

 (sea anemones) which had been detached from the cliffs ; they were 

 of an ochre-yellow colour and were as thick and long- as a thumb. 



A new kind of mollusc passed our ship very frequently. It 

 was of a hard, slimy, transparent substance, and had a larg-e 

 red spot on the upper side, which at times stood out above the 

 water; it was as thick and as long- as the thumb. The real 

 description which I made of it is as follows: — 



The whole body is a tube, slightly thicker towards the mid- 

 dle. The front part or mouth consists of a larg-e opening'. The 

 body is as thick and as long- as the thumb, slig^htly thicker in the 

 middle. The front part or the real mouth is a larg-e opening', 

 so larg-e that a small finger fits in. This mouth has two thick 

 lips curving' in the shape of a helmet, they are thinner at the 

 ang-les, and the upper lip slightly projects over the lower one. 

 The back or upper part of the mollusc is thick and has a little 

 raised part in the middle, and the sides in this place are also 

 thicker and harder. This raised part contains the real stomach. 

 The lower part of the mollusc is not quite so thick, yet widens m 

 the middle. The sides consist of a thinner and softer g-elatiuous 

 substance. The back part is a tube thinner and long-er than 

 the front part ; it has plain edg-es which are very thin. The upper 

 lip has inside a thick round protuberance, which looks like a second 

 lip ; at the lower side it has small furrows crossing' it. After this 

 it widens and has at the top a trumpet-shaped tube, which was 

 fastened at the upper part by a gelatinous membrane. It has a 

 large opening in front, but it gets thinner and curves gradually 

 upwards, and at last forms a membrane with which it encloses 

 the front part of the stomach, where it forms a little protuberance, 

 has small stripes crossing it and is of a milky colour. The front 

 part of this tube divides into two rounded lobes, which could 

 move freely and could alter their shape according to whatever 

 position they were in. The size of the opening of this tube was 

 about as large as a quill and the thinner end had hardly half a 

 line in diameter. It had many stripes on the surface which 

 however did not affect the inner side, as many particles of dust 

 and other things were freely and quickly e ipedited to the 

 stomach, vvithout being stopped on the way. 



The stomach, as I have already said, is fastened to the upper 

 side of the mollusc; it is quite round and has the size of a grey 



