It lies coiled and folded among
the stones and coral of the reef, or partially hidden by brown seaweed,
which heightens its momentary effect upon the nerves of the barefooted
Beachcomber. Its length is from 4 to 5 feet, girth about 3 inches,
colour reddish brown, with darker bands and blotches. The deception is
in appearance only. A touch reveals an innocent but shocking fraud--a
poor despicable dummy, lacking the meanest characteristic of its alert
original.
Limp and impotent, it is little more than a skin full of water, a yard
and a half of intestine with no superficial indication of difference
between head and tail. Watch closely, and the "face,"--a much frayed
mop--is shyly obtruded from one end, and there is justification for the
opinion that the other end is the tail. Possibly, after all, this may
not be a true variety of beche-de-mer. In that case an apology to the
rest of the tribe is necessary; though the mop-like face betrays a
strong family likeness.
If this dolefully helpless creature be lifted by the middle on a stick,
its liquid contents are instantly separated, forming distended,
high-pressure blobs at each end of the empty, flabby shrunken skin.
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