THE SNOWY ANEMONE. 71 



straight and motionless, to a distance of two inches from the 

 disk. They were attenuated towards the middle, enlarging 

 again on nearing the tip, which was truncate in some, 

 rounded or obtusely pointed in others. Corrugation was 

 present in some, but was rather difficult of detection, owing 

 to the absence of colour. It is probable that this peculiar 

 condition of the tentacles may be accompanied with func- 

 tions distinct from those of the mere elongation, such as 

 has been described under S. bellis. (See ante, p. 35.) 



This species bears a far closer resemblance to a daisy, 

 both in size and colour, than that which has obtained pos- 

 session of the name. Indeed, one can scarcely see a group 

 of nivecc and venustce under water, especially among the 

 small mossy growth of grass-green Algae, — Bryopsis, Con- 

 ferva, Calothrix, Enteromorpha, &c, — without being forcibly 

 reminded of a crop of daisies on a lawn. 



Mr. Holdsworth finds it ' : not uncommon at Dartmouth, 

 but usually small ; inhabiting crevices in steep rocks under 

 sea-weeds ; at Guernsey, in sheltered nooks, very fine." 



The young do not differ from the parent, except in size 

 and in the number of the tentacles. An infant specimen 

 that was born in one of my aquaria, adhered by the base 

 immediately, and presently expanded. It displayed twelve 

 tentacles, set in six pairs ; each pair being nearly parallel, 

 and separated by a marked interval from the pair on either 



side. 



Nivea rivals miniata in the profusion with which it 

 shoots forth its poison-bearing ctcontia, on the slightest irri- 

 tation. They are moderately crowded with cnidce, mostly 

 of the chambered kind, discharging an ectJwrceum little 

 longer than themselves, densely armed with reverted barbs, 

 which impart the brush-like form so characteristic of this 

 genus. 



Most of the recognised habitats of the species have been 



