. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 36 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. BECHE DE MER. At least oue species of the Beclie de Mer or Treijang, best known to most people as a delicacy in soup, is com- mon on the Lord Howe Island reets. Extended uj^on the sandy bottom of a pool, it appears as a black sluglike crea- ture about twelve inches in length, with a disc of branching tentacles at one end. It engulfs sand, as fast as its im- perfect constitution will allow it, with the object of sorting out some nutritive matter therefrom, just as do its rela-. coral-breccia which is piled up
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 36 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. BECHE DE MER. At least oue species of the Beclie de Mer or Treijang, best known to most people as a delicacy in soup, is com- mon on the Lord Howe Island reets. Extended uj^on the sandy bottom of a pool, it appears as a black sluglike crea- ture about twelve inches in length, with a disc of branching tentacles at one end. It engulfs sand, as fast as its im- perfect constitution will allow it, with the object of sorting out some nutritive matter therefrom, just as do its rela-. coral-breccia which is piled up by suc- cessive storms, where, apparently, they have been driven by the competition of a burrowing sea-egg. The latter disor- ganises tlieir establishment by burrow- ing under their attachments, and, as the clams appear to be rendered quite help- less when once detached from their bases, they have perforce retired to this rather barren zone where the sea-eggs do not intrude. The colours of the clams are endless in variety and, though all appear to be- long to one species, no two individuals are quite have plain ornamented alike. Some mantles of chocolate, others are lighter in tint and pencilled with brown, while opalescent streaks and dashes of blue or green upon cliocolate grounds are quite common. The reason for this variation is not ap- parent, the brilliant ornamentation hav- ing no obvious value, while the less ornate indi- tives the sea-eggs and star-tislies. Not viduals do not appear to suffer in con- that it resembles either of these, being sequence of their homeliness, far less graceful, and it has the unplea- Tj^^g^ ^^^^^^^ ^^.^ wonderfully hardy, sant habit of ejecting (luantities of ^^^^^1 ^ble to withstand an "amazing sticky white threads if it be lifted from amount of ill-treatment. Though accus- its sandy environment. These threads ^^j^^g^j ^^ ^i^g f^esh sea-water brought to attach themselves to anything they come ^1-,^^^ y^^ g^^]^ successive tide, they en-
Size: 1871px × 1335px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
