Mr. Price, whose success in keeping marine animals is well known, informs us that
E. papillosa does well in confinement. Its voracious habits, however, make it an unpleasant
neighbour. He has observed it to attack an Actinia gemmacea,, kept in the same vessel, and
even to enter its mouth with impunity. There may be something in the mucus, which this
Eolis exudes very copiously, injurious to other animals, or it may be that the urticating bodies
from the papillae may have some powerful effect, otherwise we should wonder at its temerity
in venturing within the clutches of so powerful an antagonist.
The following interesting account of a similar attack on the Helianthoid Zoophytes has
been communicated to us by Mr. Gosse.
“ Last spring, when at Torquay, I kept in a large pan of sea-water many kinds of marine
animals. Among these were a fine specimen of Antliea cerens (the variety with rose-tipped
satin-green tentacles) and three of Eolis papillosa.
«One day I found the largest Eolispapillosa eating the tentacles of the Antliea, and when
I attempted to pull it away, it held so firmly that the mouth was almost everted. Soon
afterwards I again found it at the same work of destruction, and one of the smaller specimens
was attacking the unfortunate Antliea also. The mollusks were eager and fierce, stretching
forward to their prey from their points of attachment, to which they adhered only by the
extremity of the foot; and frequently erecting and reversing their crowded branchiae. On
being again removed, they again returned, though from a considerable distance, so that when
I looked at the pan, I almost always found one or both the Eolides devouring their victim, so
much larger though more sluggish than themselves. The. tentacles, when gnawned'and tom,
presently became shrivelled; some of them were tom away by the Eolides, and a large
quantity of viscid albuminous matter was discharged in the form of irregular threads or webs
attached to surrounding objects. The process of devouring went on from day to day.
“ On one occasion, one of the Bolides attacked a magnificent Actinia crassicornis in the
same vessel, and had eaten a hole in its side as large as a pea before I discovered the
mischief.”*
We have taken from the mouth and stomach of this species, minute specimens of the
common mussel.
Figs. 1, 2, 3. Eolis papillosa, different views.
4. Two branchial papillae, upper side.
5. Under side of a branchial papilla.
6. Spawn.
7. A portion of the same.
8. The same, exhibiting ova.
9. A few of the ova much enlarged.
* This account has since been published in the very interesting ‘ Rambles of a Naturalist on the
Devonshire Coast/ p. 15.