CURIOUS PROPERTY OF HOLOTHURIA. 143 



rather the mouth, is the organ that has caused 

 some naturalists to class the creature with the 

 actiniae or anemones, to whose tentacles the 

 plume bears so close a resemblance. In general, 

 the body of these animals is too thick, and the 

 skin too tough, for the adoption of the suicidal 

 habits of the star- fishes ; but in some of the 

 species, whose diameter is very small in propor- 

 tion to their length, the creature actually does 

 succeed in breaking its body into several frag- 

 ments. The reader may compare with this habit 

 the similar custom that prevails among many 

 lizards, of snapping their tails off if they are 

 touched or suddenly alarmed ; as is especially 

 exemplified in the case of the Common Blind- 

 worm, which is often known to break itself across, 

 as if it had been made of glass. If any of these 

 creatures are found in a living state, they will 

 not at first put forth their tentacular crown, and 

 the owner must be content to wait. But if they 

 are properly supplied with clear and pure sea- 

 water, they will generally exhibit a large portion 

 of the tentacles, if not the whole. They may 

 usually be found clinging firmly to stones and 

 pieces of rock, in situations where they are not 

 exposed to light; for the influence of light seems 

 to be exceedingly painful to them. 



