EOLIS PUNCTATA. 



frequently swimming inverted on the surface. It would appear also to be rather unscrupulous 

 in its voracity, as in one instance we suspect it to have made a repast of its own spawn ; and on 

 other occasions it devoured a Doto coronata, a portion of an JEolis coronata, and several 

 individuals of U. olivacea. When it seized its prey the body shrunk up, the papillae 

 became agitated and twitched in a peculiar manner, the tentacles were thrown back, the lips 

 retracted, and the mouth advancing, in an instant the object of attack was forcibly drawn 

 within reach of its formidable jaws ; at short intervals the attack was renewed ; the 

 animal, however, all the while keeping its hold until the whole was despatched. On the 

 first seizure of its prey, this species generally emits a sound resembling the click of a watch, 

 or, perhaps more nearly, the sound produced by pressing the edges of the finger and thumb 

 nails together, and then letting them slip. • The sound is generally repeated on each renewal 

 of the attack, and is frequently produced at other times. We have heard it on several 

 occasions when the animal was perfectly quiescent, and again when it was moving about, 

 probably in search of food. The sound, which is never emitted more than once at a time, 

 and generally at considerable intervals, is sufficiently loud to be heard at some little distance. 

 From the nature of the sound we are quite inclined to agree in opinion with Dr. Grant, who 

 was the first to notice that these creatures have the power of emitting sounds, that it is 

 produced by the cutting edges of the corneous jaws, and indeed it would be difficult to 

 understand by what other means it could be effected. 



Whilst in confinement, this species deposited three patches of spawn at different times. 

 The eggs are white, and are contained in a wide, undulating gelatinous cord, coiled about 

 three times. One of the patches which was deposited on the 29th or 30th of June, was 

 hatched on the 9th of July. The larvae very closely resemble those of JE. coronata. 



Fig. 1, 2, 3. Different views of E oils punctata. 



4. Two of the papillae highly magnified. 

 5, 6, 7. Side, front, and back view of a dorsal tentacle, much increased in size. 



8. Spawn. 



9. A portion of the same more magnified. 



