The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-04-07
.. >ea-Cucumbers - Curious Marine
Animals.

Ar lu'AAucu- bc bcEtAl iAal@ AtrA AZ kSit'A
10 these beings from the rough resem-
blanee they present % the familiar vege-
table Of that name. and they are also
known under the designations Of - tre-
pangs," " beches-de-mer," whilst BY
the nafuralis. they are named Hoi0-
Dsurig, and are by him classified along
with star-ishes, sea-urchiss or cchiai,
and allied forms Around the British
coasts small specimens Of sea-cucum-
beers may frequently be obtained BY
dredging, but il is in the tropical re-
gions Of the world, and especially in
the seas If China and Of the Eastern
Archipelago, that these forms attain
their highest development, both Is 10
numbers, variety and size.
An ordinary Hol0thuria bears a rough
resemblance in external form to a GU
cumber. Externally we may perceive
five rows Of peculiar little feet, each
foot presenting the appearance Of tube
ending in little sucker. These rows
of feet thus divide the body of the ami
nsal longitudinally into five lobes or d.
visions At the anterior extremity Of the
body we find the mouth surrounded by
eirclet Of beautiful feathery teniacles or
/ feelers. which are capable Of being re-
tracted Al will within the body, and
which spring from a series Of living
plates arranged in the form of q
ring within the mouth. The skin
/ If the body Is tough, and
Of somewhat leathery consistence. and
very frequently contains particles Of
7 living matter imbedded in lis substance.
These 'spicules, = a. the particles are
named, present, when prepared for ex-
animation under the microscope, very
curious and characteristic forms. They
are to be regarded a rudiments Of the
Z living structures, which attain a much
Y greater Development in the skin OF the
star-fishes or still greater degree in
the " she'll" If the sea-urchins. In one
} group Of the sea-cucumbers, that known
by the name of Synapfidg, living
spicules are used 70 assist in the move
ments Of the animals. In this latter
grOupe the spicules exist in the form Of
anchOr-shaped particles. which are stu
ated upon little prominences of'the skin.
and they thus serve 80 fix one portion Of
the body, whilst the other portion j. APP
proximated to the fixed part by muscu-
lar contraction
The entire skin In all of these ami
mails. indeed, Is highly muscular. and
in virtue Of this muscularity exhibits a
high degree of contractile power This
power i carried to such an extent in
these animals that when either irritated
or alarmed they are seen 10 eject the
internal organs Of their bodies from
their mouth, by COMPRISING and con-
tracing the skin; and this phenomenon
i not necessarily fatal to the animal,
since the elected viscera can be again
withdrawn into it. body: while a still
more strange reproductive power seems
in some cases 20 suffice for the replace
ment, by the development Of new or
gans. Of the elected and cast-of viscera-
The internal structure Of the body In
the sea-cucumbers presents IN several
Of its parts, details Of great interest.
Thus. we find a special system Of tubes.
termed the "ambulaeral SYSTEM
adapted for the performance If loco
motive movements. Through this sys-
TEN the little tubular feet already al
luded TO are inflated with water. or
with some other liquid. and 80 render
ed tense and stiff for the support of the
body, and the due exercise Of their
, functions. A central tube j. found sur
rounding the mouth, and little bags Of
vesicles. named Polian ve>icles after
Poll their discoverer, exist on this tube
| and act as reservoirs If fluid. From this
| central and circular tube five main pipes
traverse the interior Of the body, and
underlie the ave rows Of tuse-feet seen
on the exterior Of the body. Each little
tube-foot consists essentially u muscu-
. lar LAYERS. and expands AZ its attached
!, end-or that at which il joins the wa
ter-tube Of the interiOr--iato little
muscular sac or vesicle. This latter
acts a. a reservoir Of the fluid used in
the expansion Of the foot. snd accord
inrlv when the feet are 10 be protruded
for the purpose Of walking" the fluid
conveyed to the foot sacs is elected from
the sacs into their respective feet Or
the other hand, when the tube-feet art
; TO be retracted the fluid which di-tend:
, them i sent back by their contraction
into the sacs. and there remains until
again required for the distension of tn,
feet.
II i somewhat remarkable that while
in the allied sfar-ishes and sea-urchin.
the fluid used to distend the tube-fee
: simply consists Of sea-water admitted
into the tubes from the exterior, tha
used To distend the feet Of the sea
. cucumhers appears a. be derived solell
from the interior ~ the body. The sys
I TEN Of tubes used for the imitation o
the feet also sends branches forward
from the central ring into the Heather,
teniacies surrounding the mouth.
second and distinct system Of vessel
opens from the hinder extremity Of tn
body in the sea-cucumbers- and consist
: OF two main tubes, one Of which run
along each side Of the interior of tn