BRITISH SEA-ANEMONES. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION 

 AND EXPLANATION OF TERMS. 



As it is of great importance in scientific description to 

 employ precise terms for the various parts of the objects 

 described, and for the conditions of those parts, and to use 

 the same terms always in the same sense, I here define the 

 terms which I propose to use in this work. 



The principal parts of the body of a Sea- Anemone are 

 the following : — the base ; the column ; the disk ; the 

 tentacles ; the mouth ; the cavity. 



1. The Base (Basis). 



This is the lowest part of the animal, usually forming 

 a flat area, by means of which it adheres to other bodies. 

 It is often expanded (expansa), its outline being consi- 

 derably broader than a section of the column. In some 

 cases, as in Edwardsia, it becomes very small, loses its 

 function, and finally, as in Cerianthus, disappears. In 

 Adamsia, it is greatly extended laterally into two wings, 

 which, curving round, meet and unite by their edges, 

 forming a complete circle. This form of base may be 

 distinguished as ANNULAK (annularis). 



B 



