290 
THE OCEAN WORLD. 
attack of an enemy or the pursuit of some fisherman — by a sudden 
and unexpected movement it ejects its teeth, its stomach, its digestive 
apparatus, and reduces itself to a simple empty membranous sac, 
with an unfurnished mouth ; and, as a singular fact, this empty 
sac still shrinks and contracts in the hand which grasps it. It must 
be admitted that this is a strange mode of evading its enemies : the 
soldier rarely throws his arms away in the moment of danger ! But 
the Ilolothurias possess a wonderful recuperative power also ; and it is 
probably quite conscious, when it thus empties itself to disappoint its 
pursuer, that it can promptly replace the organs which it has volun- 
tarily parted with. 
Dr. Johnston relates that he had forgotten for some days to supply 
a Holothuria with fresh water. The creature, in consequence, ejected 
its tentacles, its buccal apparatus, digestive tubes, and a portion of its 
ovaries. Still it was not dead, but was sensible to the least move- 
ment, and lived to reproduce all its organs anew. 
Not only' do the Holothuria eject their organs and afterwards renew 
them, but they divide themselves spontaneously into two portions. 
Their two extremities are first enlarged; then their middle parts 
gradually become straight, like a thread ; finally, this thread breaks, 
and each separate part of the animal becomes a perfect Holothuria. 
It has been cut into two pieces, and each of these pieces becomes a 
new being. 
The habits of these animals are but little known. They inhabit 
the seas, and are spread over every latitude. Their very limited 
movements consist in a kind of reptation or crawling motion, pro- 
duced by the undulations of their bodies or by the contractions of 
their feet. Holothurias are generally found in the act of creeping 
upon stones or on portions of submarine rock, but always in sheltered 
places, for thoy appear to dread the action of light. They r sometimes 
find themselves caught by fishermen in their nets. If held in the 
hand they contract, their bodies become hard and rigid, and the sea 
water with which they are filled is ejected with force. We need not 
add that fishermen reject with disdain the Holothurias taken in their 
nets ; the sea-cucumber has never been thought worthy of a place 
on our tables. Truth is on this side, error on that, is a maxim as 
true in morals as in the cookery. The sea-cucumber, which Europeans 
disdain, is a favourite dish among the Chinese. The fishery, prepara- 
