QjX, plain teaching 



353 



The common sea cucumber, 20, 

 is one of a very curious group of 

 mari ne animals,freq uently thrown 

 in upon the shore during storms. 

 There are various forms, the 

 20 



1168. 



resemblances to which are indi- 

 cated by their popular names, as 

 — the snail sea cucumber, the j 

 short, the great, the angular, the 

 glassy, the tangle, the brown, &c. ; 

 and there are smaller kinds de- 

 nominated sea-gherkins. These 

 creatures are generally covered 

 with a soft leathery skin, in some 

 cases strengthened by calcareous 

 or horny spines. Besides pro- 

 gression by means of suckers, 

 they move like worms, by the 

 extension and contraction of their 

 bodies. The mouth and the arms 

 occupy the opposite extremities 

 of their bodies, the mouth being 

 surrounded by a u umber of 

 feathery tentacula, which can be 

 drawn within. They are ex- 

 ceedingly prolific, a single one 

 being known to produce 5000 

 ova in the course of a night. 



There is a species of sea cucumber called the 

 " nigger " or " cotton - spinner," frequently 

 caught by Cornish fishermen. It is very common 

 in deep water off the Deadman. Their appear- 

 ance, when closed, very much resembles a small 

 cucumber, the back being dark -almost black 

 at times -and the under part light yellowish 

 green, which, with the thorn-like appendages 

 on the back, make the appearance more com- 

 plete. On being handled, they stain the hand a 

 light green. They are of various sizes and 

 lengths, often nearly a foot long, and thick in 

 proportion ; they sometimes draw themselves 

 almost into a ball. At times they lie motionless, 

 but frequently they move. The "nigger", 



is extremely irritable, and on being touched or 

 disturbed, throws out a bunch of white taper 

 threads, about an inch in length, and one-eighth 

 in thickness; these stick to everything that 

 they touch, and hence the animals are called 

 " cotton-spinners." 



Star-fishes, 1, are among the 

 most striking objects of the sea- 

 shore. Their curious and sym- 

 metrical forms attract the atten- 

 tion, and invite the examination 

 of all observers of nature. The 

 true star-fishes are either star- 

 like, or angular, in form. They 

 are covered with a tough leathery 

 integument, which is more or less 

 strengthened by a net-work of 

 calcareous plates, and in most 

 a 



species with strong spines, va- 

 riously arranged. The entire 

 surface is also clothed with a finer 

 and softer membrane. Among 

 and on the spines, in many species, 

 are curious pincer-like bodies. 

 The under surface of the body 

 presents the mouth in the centre, 

 and deep grooves radiate from it 

 to the extremities of the arms. 

 These grooves contain extensile 

 suckers, capable of adhering to 



