LANCELET. 
417 
place, although a portion of its body may be at times protruded j 
and as it is altogether destitute of eyes, however sensitive 
otherwise to impressions of touch or motion, it seems but 
little fitted to a life aloft, where it would be exposed to 
perpetual hazard from the devouring inhabitants of the sea. 
Within its narrow sphere, however, it may be capable of 
considerable activity, as well as of enjoyment, for which, by 
some peculiarities of organization it seems sufficiently provided. 
What has been noticed of its motions in captivity is here 
brought together; but the principal interest attached to this 
fish is derived from its very singular structure, which, while it 
tends to place it lowest in the scale of descent, aflTords also 
some particulars in which it claims a higher place, at least than 
the Borer; and in a physiological view it stands distinct from 
every other. 
In “The Naturalist” for 1852, p. 30, Mr. Lukis, of Guernsey, 
gives an account of a specimen of the Lancelot which he caught 
at the Island of Herm, and kept alive for several weeks. 
Himself obtained it at low-water mark by having his attention 
directed to it through its actions. Although not possessed of 
eyes, it shewed great sensibility to light (for which its large 
although concealed optic nerve will account) when a candle was 
brought into the room. Its activity was so great that it jumped 
out of the bowl in which it was kept; and it darted into the 
sand with great ease and swiftness; but when not disturbed it 
rested at about half an inch below the surface of the sand, 
inclining a little on its side. Dr. Vigurs at Falmouth remarks 
of an example two inches in length, taken as this fish usually 
is, by dredging, that it was very active, its motion being like 
that of an Eel; it burrowed in the sand, and often protruded 
about half an inch of the body out of the sand with its mouth 
upwards; it always swam with the ventral margin and mouth 
uppermost; and when moved from its lurking-place it rapidly 
returned to it. If disturbed three or four times in succession 
it lay on its side without motion; a circumstance which goes 
to prove that this very active motion is soon followel with 
fatigue, as is also shewn by W. P. Cocks, Esq., also of Falmouth. 
This gentleman observes that his example swam rapidly with a 
wriggling or snake-like motion for a second or two, and then 
suddenly settled down at the bottom of the vessel; where it 
VOL. IV. 3 H 
