THE DAISY ANEMONE. 35 



extreme diameter, and it threw out its tentacle to a dis- 

 tance of three inches from the margin. Of course all colour 

 disappears, and it requires one to he looking for the fact 

 to observe the transparent membranous nature of the ex- 

 tended limb. I tried if its object was seeking for food, by 

 dropping a scrap of meat in the way of the tentacle : it was 

 seized and carried to the oral disk instantly." 



The same gentleman in a subsequent letter (dated 7th 

 July, 1856) thus continues his observations : — " Another 

 specimen of hellis, from Ilfracombe, of a dark self-colour 

 (chocolate or umber-brown), is constantly extending the 

 tentacles to full four times their length under ordinary cir- 

 cumstances ; and on one occasion I have seen a tentacle 

 on each side thrown out so long as to command fully a circle 

 of six inches in diameter. After the extension, I observe that 

 the tentacle assumes for several hours a white appearance, 

 increasing in intensity towards the extreme tip. This ex- 

 treme extensility is interesting, as showing the resources of 

 the animal in commanding a larger range for feeding : and 

 the modus operandi is no less carious ; for, after having 

 reached the utmost length, any nearer spot is examined by 

 curling the tentacle into a variety of elegant curves and 



rings 



Mr. E. W. H. Holdsworth has also favoured me with 

 some interesting observations on the same curious habit. 

 Referring to an example which he had already described to 

 me in the case of >S T . miniata, and which will be detailed in 

 its place,* this excellent observer says : — " Since my last 

 letter I have seen the elongation of one of the tentacles of 

 the first row in bellis. The ordinary shape and proportions 

 were retained, but the arm was stretched to more than 

 twice its natural length, yet without any appearance of 

 unnatural tension or straining : it was constantly in motion, 



See infra, p. 44. 



d2 



