hold of objects by making a vacuum; for on touching them with the fingers, they readily adhere, but no viscous matter is deposited by them. The mouth of these animals is capable of great extension, so as to allow them, without injury, to swallow very large shells. The whole interior of their body is one cavity or stomach. They have the power of progressive motion; but this is extremely slow, and is said to be performed by loosing their base from the rock, reversing their body, and employing their tentacula as legs.

Nearly all the animals of this tribe may be separated from the rocks by a card carefully introduced beneath, so as not materially to injure them; and, if put into glass vessels with sea-water, which must be changed about once a week, they will there fix themselves, and may be kept alive and in full vigour for a great length of time, even in places far distant from the sea-coasts. All the species are viviparous.

On the submarine rocks of several of the European coasts, and on those of the British islands in particular, these animals are extremely abundant. They adhere by their base so firmly to the rocks, as frequently to be left above water at the ebbing of the sea: but they are generally found at a little depth below the surface. When closed, their form is that of a rounded cone, with an orifice at the top. This they can at pleasure either close entirely, or extend very wide, to admit their tentacula to spread out, and to receive such food as these draw into it. The tentacula, when fully expanded,

*DESCRIPTION. The exterior of the body is smooth, and of a purple or dark red colour, sometimes striped with green. The tentacula are red; and round the mouth there is a row of small blue spots.

SYNONYMS. Actinia anemonoides? Linn.-Actinie pourpre. Actinia purpurea. Cuvier.

somewhat resembles the petals of the red garden-anemones. If any extraneous substance be introduced into the cavity of the mouth, or even if any of the tentacula are but slightly touched, the animal instantly contracts itself into a conoid shape, and swallows it.

If kept in a vessel of salt-water, they will continue to live and flourish for a considerable length of time. It is, however, remarkable, that when from want of the water being changed, they become unhealthy, they protrude their intestines at the mouth, and at length turn inside out, their mouth closing round the base. On renewing the water they will sometimes recover, and assume their natural shape and appearance.

These creatures occasionally assume many extraordinary shapes. When detached from the glass in which I have kept them, I have known them sometimes to appear as if composed of two small conjoined spheres, sometimes to become extended and nearly cylindrical, and sometimes to have a stricture below the orifice, at the upper part of the body, appearing as though they were tied tightly round with a slender string.

THE ROSE-COLOURED SEA-ANEMONE*.

On this species the Abbé Dicquemaire made several experiments, to ascertain its powers of production, and other remarkable properties. He first cut off all the tentacula: these grew again in less than a month; and, on repeating this apparently cruel operation a second and third time, he had equal success. One of the animals had its upper part cut off: the base was found, a

DESCRIPTION. When the tentacula are fully expanded, this beautiful species sometimes measures five or six inches across. These tentacula are of a pale rose-colour. The mouth is also rose-coloured, but darker. When the animal is closed, its exterior is greenish, and covered with numerous warts.

SYNONYMS. Actinia rufa? Linn. Gmel.-Actinia equina. Linn. Syst. Nat.

few days afterward, to have fallen from its place, but it soon entirely recovered its limbs. After cutting one of these anemones in two, the Abbé offered a piece of a muscle to the detached part, and the limbs seemed eager to take it. They drew it into the mouth, and it was swallowed; but, as the body was wanting to receive it, the piece came out at the opposite end; "just (says the Abbé) as a man's head, being cut off, would let out at the neck the bit taken in at the mouth." It was offered a second time, and again received and retained till the following day, when it was thrown up. In this manner it was fed for some time, the bits, when they did not pass through, appearing considerably altered on their re-appearance at the mouth. If the base of any of the Anemones happened to be injured by the incision, the wound generally proved mortal.

On being put under the receiver of an air-pump, and having the air exhausted, these animals did not seem to experience any ill effects, nor to perceive any dif ference betwixt this and their being in the open air: if their tentacula happened to be expanded, they remained so, and not the least shrinking could be perceived.

Some of them lived upwards of twelve months, without any other food than what the sea-water afforded them.

When shell-fish, or pieces of other fish, or bits of raw meat were offered, if not too large, they always seized them. The shells, even if closed, they ejected in the course of a day or two, but perfectly cleared of their contents.

The Sea Anemones produce their offspring alive at the mouth; and the Abbé several times had these ejected on his hands, from eight to twelve in number. Though some of them were so small as to be almost imperceptible, they immediately fixed themselves, and expanded their tentacula, in order to catch their prey.

These animals are destitute of eyes, yet they are very evidently affected by light. If a candle be held

over the glasses in which they are kept, and at such a distance as not to communicate any heat, they regularly close, and do not again expand until the light is removed.

The

Among other experiments of the Abbé Dicquemaire, he gave to two Actinia of different species, a narrow slice of fish, so laid, that each of them had hold of an end. The yellow one, however, happened to seize the larger share. Each swallowed on by its respective end, till at length their mouths came in contact. gray one seemed at first to get the better; but the other soon recovered its share, lost it again, and again recovered it. These alternate victories lasted about three hours, till at last, the gray one losing its hold, the other obtained the prize. This sucked it in but slowly, and the gray one again ventured its mouth upon a last tug at the end still within reach; but the effort proved fruitless; the yellow companion gave a final pull, and swallowed the whole.

When the Sea Anemones are boiled in water, they acquire a firm consistence, and become a very palatable food. Cats are remarkably fond of them when thus cooked. Their smell is not unlike that of a warm crab or lobster.

THE SEA-MARIGOLD*.

Mr. Hughes, in his Natural History of Barbadoes, has given us a very accurate account of this species, several individuals of which were, some years ago, discovered in that island. He calls it an animal flower, and seems to have considered it as a sensitive plant, possessing many animal properties.

DESCRIPTION. The stem of this species is sub-turbinate; and its disk is surrounded with petal-shaped tentacula or rays. The disk is furnished with four dark-coloured threads or arms, which close together like a forceps, and secure its prey. SYNONYM. Actinia calendula. Linn.

"The cave which contained these animals was (he says) near the bottom of a rocky cliff facing the sea, at the north part of the island, in the parish of Saint Lucy. The descent to it was steep and dangerous, being in some places almost perpendicular. The cave contained a natural basin of water, about sixteen feet long, and twelve broad, in the middle of which was a rock almost covered with them.

"Round the sides of this, at different depths under the water, seldom, however, more than eighteen inches, were observed at all times of the year, what seemed to be fine radiated flowers, of a pale yellow, or a bright straw-colour, slightly tinged with green. These had the appearance of a circular border of thick-set petals, about the size of, and much resembling, those of the single garden marigold.

"I often attempted to pluck one of them from the rock to which they are fixed, but could never effect it: for, as soon as my fingers came within two or three inches of it, it would immediately contract, close together its yellow border, and shrink back into the hole in the rock; but, if left undisturbed for three or four minutes, it would again come gradually into sight, expanding, though at first very cautiously, what seemed its leaves, till at last it appeared in its former bloom: it would, however, again contract, with surprising quickness, when my hand approached within a little distance of it.

From the centre of this apparent flower proceeded four dark-coloured threads, somewhat resembling, says this gentleman, the legs of a spider. These, which were its arms or feelers, had a quick, spontaneous motion from side to side.

Its body seemed to be a dark-coloured tube, about as thick as a raven's quill; one end of which was affixed to the rock, and the other, which extended a little way from it, was encircled with the yellow border above mentioned.

Soon after the discovery of these surprising animals,