286 Mr. A. H. HassalPs Catalogue of Irish Zoophytes. 



upper enlarged and glandularly warty : oral disc expanded, lobed : 

 tentacula in several rows, variegated." — Gartner. 



This beautiful species is certainly no variety of Actinia gemmacea, 

 as has been supposed by some from the perusal of Gaertner's de- 

 scription of it. It inhabits the fissures of rocks, in which the whole 

 of the body of the polypus is concealed, the expanded cup-like head 

 alone being visible above the margin of the fissure. The body is 

 often lengthened to the extent of two inches ; its basis is contracted, 

 but gradually widens upwards towards the calyx ; the lower portion 

 of it is nearly colourless, higher up it becomes of a flesh colour, 

 this changing into a greenish brown, of which it continues up as 

 far as the feelers. The upper half of the body is covered with nu- 

 merous small white glands, which possess great powers of suction. 

 The diameter of the calyx, which is somewhat cupped, in the larger 

 specimens often exceeds two inches ; its margin does not describe a 

 perfect circle, but is variously festooned. The colour of the disc is 

 dark brown, ornamented with broad bands of opaque white, and 

 finely streaked and dotted with light yellow. The feelers are very 

 small, placed on the edge of the calyx in several rows, to the depth 

 of ^rd of an inch ; those nearest the disc, also, are about ^rd of an 

 inch in length, and are the longest, the outermost tentacula being 

 but little more than papillae ; they are of a lighter brown than the 

 disc, and are variegated with transverse bands and spots of white. 

 The shades of brown in the different parts of each Actinia vary con- 

 siderably with the specimens. 



Found in a clear pool, opposite Dalkey Island, but little below 

 high-water mark, the only locality in which I have ever met M'ith it ; 

 and what is not a little peculiar is, that it is confined to that one 

 pool, although there are others in its immediate vicinity apparently 

 equally suitable for it. 



A. gemmacea. Everywhere common on the coast of Dublin. 



A. dianthus. Frequently trawled up off Howth and Lambay. 



A. maculata. The tentacula of this species are not contractile : 

 in this particular it resembles the genus Anthea of Johnston. 



A single specimen, trawled up oiF Howth. 



Anthea cereus. Although this species has not the power of short- 

 ening its feelers in the same way as the Actinias, yet, if specimens 

 be kept for some time in sea-water, their length becomes dimi- 

 nished, not by contraction, but by a process of invagination. 



The three varieties of this species, described by Gsertner, are 

 found in Sandy-cove, near Dublin ; the green one but sparingly. 

 They usually adhere to Fuci, generally to Fucus serratus, and but 

 rarely to stones. Below low- water mark. 



Valkeria cuscuta. Branches opposite ; cells in clusters, oval. 



The above is the correct definition of this species, which it was 

 long ere I could identify by Ellis's description of it. He described 

 the cells as being " in pairs, usually opposite," whereas they are 

 really in clusters. Ellis's description is only applicable to the species 

 in an imperfect and injured state. Valkeria cuscuta is readily di- 



