Ceylon Nudibranchiate Molluscs, and Zoophytes. 97 



or G, small, bi -pinnate; white, with purple spots at their base. 

 All retracted within a cavity, without a rim. Head rounded, 

 spotted purple, on each side of mouth a short linear tentacle, 

 white. Foot narrow, longer than the mantle, slightly ex- 

 panded in front, spotted purple on the upper surface. 



This lovely little Doris is rarely found. Two specimens, 

 obtained in May, are still alive in a finger glass, generally 

 resting on the side of a stone. At night it crawls out of its 

 hiding place and creeps along the sides of the glass, and is 

 sometimes seen floating on the surface of the water on its back. 

 When touched with a feather it adheres by its foot, and can be 

 kept dangling in this position by the aid of the mucous thread 

 secreted by the surface of the foot. Several Eolidas were 

 kept in the same vessel, and it has survived them all, though 

 attacked repeatedly by the Eolis. Ova white, deposited on 

 side of glass in a thread-like coil. 



Doris Fidelis. Kel. v 



Body -§ inch long; narrow, convex; white. Mantle oblong, 

 with parallel sides ; shorter than the foot ; of a waxy white 

 colour, the edge lined with red and irregular tooth-like trans- 

 verse internal prolongations of the same colour; those on sides, 

 longer, alternated with short ones. Branchial plumes 7 or 

 8, black ; lanceolate, pinnated, few branched at tip. Dorsal 

 tentacles oblong, flattened, pointed ; apex black, lamellated. 

 Oral tentacles small, acutely pointed. Foot white, narrow, 

 slightly dilated in front, and pointed posteriorly. 



Found on coral rocks at low water mark, in August and 

 September. This singularly marked species looks, when the 

 tentacles and branchiae are retracted, like a large bean. Its 

 jet black plumes and tentacles appear very conspicuous, above 



1858.] 



o 



