ACTINIA. 



upper part with feveral crofs lines and brown fpots, of an 

 irregular figure, like the backs of fome fnakes. 



4. Actinia Mefembryan- ^. 



themum. Sea Fig-marygold. 



A&inia difciflora, ten- This animal flower has a 



taculis retraEtilibuS) ex- difk furrounded by claws, 

 timq difci margine tuber- which it has the power of 

 culato. drawing in ; the outward mar- 



gin of the difk has a row of 

 tubercles. 



Hydra difcijlora, tentaculis retra&ilibus, extimo difci 

 margine tuber culato. Gaertner Phil. Tranf. Vol. 52. 

 pag. 83. tab. 1. fig. 5. 



Dr. Gaertner remarks, that the color of this animal is 

 always red in the fummer, and then changes about the 

 latter end of autumn to a dufky green or brown. The 

 feelers or claws are of various colors, as red, blue, white, 

 and even fometimes variegated, and the hemifpherical 

 tubercles often vary as much as the feelers in color. 



I have taken notice of this as the moft common of all 

 the Aftinias ; it is to be met with almoft on all the rocky 

 coafts of this kingdom, particularly in great abundance 

 on the rocks a little to the eaftward of Brighthelmftone in 

 Suffex ; what I have feen there has been of the color of a 

 liver, but at Haftings further to the eaftward there are a 

 great variety of fpecies of Actinia not yet defcribed, or 

 very badly. 



In thefe 4 Actinias, called Hydras by Dr. Gartner, 

 I have made ufe of his defcriptions, as thinking them ex- 

 preflive of the fubject, and only changed his name of 

 Hydra to that of Dr. Patr. Browne of A6i.inia. 



The 



