ANTHOZOA OF THE WOODS HOLE REGION. 



247 



It may be suggested in this connection that the act of burrowing is effected exclusively by the 

 aboral end, or physa. This is bent downward upon the sand, and then by a process of pushing, and at 

 the same time a twisting motion, and by alternate contractions and expansions of the disk, the foot is 

 forced downward. It is by no means a rapid process, and very differently effective by different 

 individuals, as I have elsewhere shown (op. cit.). 



Distribution: Verrill reports it from South Carolina to Cape Cod. I have taken it at certain 

 points in Buzzards Bay. and at Catama Bay, and elsewhere about Marthas Vineyard. Its distribution 

 would seem to be more or less local, and dependent upon favorable 

 conditions as to food and for burrowing, etc. 



EDWARDSIA Quatrefages, 1842. 



Edwardsia elegans Verrill. [Text fig. 5 and pi. xuv, fig. 12.] 



Edwardsia elegans \VerTiU, Am. Journ. Science, ser. 2, vol. 48, p. 118. Andres, 

 Fauna u. Flora Golf. v. Neapel, vol. ix, p. 95. Parker. Am. Nat., vol. xxxrv, 

 p. 749- 



This elegant little actinian is seldom seen except by those who dili- 

 gently search for it, its burrowing habit giving it effective seclusion. 



Body elongate, comprising three more or less distinctive portions, 

 namely, (i) an upper, smooth, necklike portion, of faint brownish 

 color; (2) the body or column, rough from tlie presence of a sandy 

 accretion over a tough cuticular covering; (3) a somewhat roundish 

 basal porrion, translucent or of slightly bluish tint. The enrire body 

 is marked by 8 longitudinal groovesor sulcations. Tentacles 16, rather 

 short and fingerlike in moderate contraction, or long and delicately 

 attenuate when fully expanded; apparently of two series, an outer, 

 which is usually depressed close upon the sand at the mouth of the 

 burrow; and a second, alternating series, which extend upward. In 

 color the tentacles are pale brownish, with transverse bars or blotches 

 whitish or pale greenish. 



Length of body in expansion 20 to 35 mm., diameter 3 to 5 mm. 

 The organizadon of the body is shown in the sections taken through 

 the oesophageal region. (PI. xuv, fig. 12.) 



Distribution and habitat: Found generally throughout the region in 

 favorable sand flats between tide lines, where it biurows. Taken at 

 West Falmouth, Woods Hole, Great Pond, Falmouth, etc. 



In a paper on the " Behavior of sea anemones" (Biological Bulletin, 

 vol. xn), I have given some account of phases of activity as exhibited 

 by tube-dwelling anemones. At the time tliis paper was prepared I 

 had not been able to include any account of this species. This was 

 later included in a report upon the reactions of these organisms given 

 at the International Zoological Congress, Boston, 1907. It may suffice 

 in this connecrion to say that in almost every respect the reactions and behavior of E. elegans are com- 

 parable with those of Sagartia and Eloactis. 



The species lives well in aquaria and affords a favorable object upon which to observe various 

 aspects of behavior. This is particularly the case with food taking and reactions to varying degrees 

 of light intensity. 

 Edwardsia sipunculoides (Stimpson) Verrill. 



Actinia sipunculoides Stimpson. Marine Inv. of Grand Manan, 1853. Edwardsia sipunculoides VerriU. Mem. See. Nat. 

 Hist., Boston, vol.1, p. 28, 1864; Andres. Fauna u. Flora Golfes Neapel , bd . ix ; Parker, Am. Nat., vol. xxxiv. 1900. 

 This species has not hitherto been recorded south of Cape Cod. The writer several years ago found 

 a single specimen of an Edwardsia at West Falmouth, Buzzards Bay, which was thought to be E. sipun- 



FlG. 



-Edwardsia elegans. 



