Sept. 1, 1869.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



207 



every creature which approaches them is seized, en- 

 gulfed, and devoured. Nevertheless, with all the 

 power of their mouth, their insatiable stomachs 

 cannot retain the prey they have swallowed. In 

 certain circumstances it contrives to escape, in 

 others it is adroitly snatched away by some neigh- 

 bouring marauder more cunning and more active 

 than the anemone. 



" It is sometimes observed in aquariums that a 

 shrimp, which has seen the prey devoured from a 

 distance, will throw itself upon the ravisher, and 

 audaciously wrest the prey from him and devour it 

 before his eyes, to his great disappointment. Even 

 when the savoury morsel has been swallowed, the 

 shrimp, by great exertions, succeeds in extracting it 

 from the stomach. Seating itself upon the extended 

 disk of the anemone, with its small feet it prevents 

 the approach of the tentacles, at the same time that 

 it inserts its claws into the digestive cavity and 

 seizes the food. In vain the anemone tries to con- 

 tract its gills and close its mouth. Sometimes the 

 conflict between the sedentary zoophyte and the 

 vagrant crustacean becomes serious. When the 

 former is strong and robust, the aggression is 

 repelled, and the shrimp runs the risk of supple- 

 menting the repast of the anemone." 



If the Actinias are voracious, they can also sup- 

 port a prolonged period of fasting. They have been 

 known to live two and even three years without 

 having received any nourishment. 



Although the sea anemone is said to be delicate 

 eating, man derives very little benefit from them in 

 that respect. In Provence, Italy, and Greece the 

 Green Actinia is in great repute, and Dicquemare 

 speaks of A. crassicornis as delicate food. " Of all 

 the kinds of sea anemones, I would prefer this for 

 the table ; being boiled some time in sea-water, 

 they acquire a firm and palatable consistence, and 

 may then be eaten with any kind of sauce. They 

 are of an inviting appearance, of a light shivering 

 texture, and of a soft white and reddish hue. Their 

 smell is not unlike that of a warm crab or lobster." 

 Dr. Johnston admits the tempting description, and 

 does not doubt their being not less a luxury than 

 the sea urchins of the Greeks, or the snails of the 

 Roman epicures, but he was not induced to test its 

 truth, Rondeletius tells us, having, as Dr. John- 

 ston thinks, A. crassicornis in view, that it brings a 

 good price at Bordeaux. Actinia dianthits also is 

 good to eat, quoth Dicquemare, and Plancus directs 

 the cook to dress it after the manner of dressing 

 oysters, with which it is frequently eaten. Actinia 

 corincea is found in the market at Rochefort during 

 the months of January, February, and March. Its 

 flesh is said to be both delicate and savoury. 



Bkitish Association. — The meeting for next 

 year (1870) will be held at Liverpool, under the 

 presidency of Professor Huxley. 



ELOWERS OE THE OCEAN. 



" Thou boundless, shining;, glorious sea, 

 With ecstasy I gaze on thee, 

 And as I gaze, thy billowy roll 

 Wakes the deep feelings of my soul." 



From the German. 



npilE study of ocean flowers, commonly called sea- 

 -*- tceeds, is a very interesting one, and attractive 

 even to those who only seek the excitement of look- 

 ing on pretty things. Now, when the town is every- 

 where emptying itself of its living inhabitants, and 

 casting them on the seashore, one may hope to be 

 forgiven even for indulging in a little commonplace 

 gossip about the very common things to be found 

 in such localities. 



Alga?, or seaweeds, are distinguished by their 

 colour. They are divided into three classes— the red, 

 the olive, and the green : I dare say some of my 

 readers will here exclaim, as a young lady friend of 

 mine at Tenby did, "Why, olive is a shade of green!" 

 True, but neither olive nor green are primary colours. 

 Green is a secondary colour formed by a combination 

 of blue and yellow, and the olive-coloured seaweeds, 

 the Melanospermai, which grow upon rocks, exposed 

 to the rise and fall of the tides, belong to a different 

 class, to the CMorosperma or green Alga;. 



Although I repudiate all intention of attempting 

 to be learned in this paper, I must begin my 

 description in clue form ; therefore take one of the 

 olive-coloured weeds of the order Fucaccce. 



Fig. 165. Halidrys siliijuosa, nat. size. 



There is a little bushy-tufted, olive-coloured sea- 

 plant, found on the rocks, called Halidrys siliquosa, 

 a nice long name ; but I really never heard a local 



