ASTR.EACEA. SAGARTIAD^E. 



THE SNAKE-LOCKED ANEMONE. 



Sagartia viduata. 



Plate III. fig. 3 ; VI. fig. 11. 



Specific Character. Tentacles very extensile, very flexuous, indistinctly 

 barred ; marked with an uninterrupted dark line down each side. 



Actinia viduata. Muller, Zool. Dan. Prod. 231. No. 2799. Zool. 



Dan. ii. 3] ; pi. lxiii. figs. 6—8. 

 ? imdata. Ibid. Zool. Dan. ii. 30 ; pi. lxiii. figs, 4, 5. 



anguicoma. Price in Johnst. Brit. Zooph. 2nd Ed. p. 218 ; fig. 

 48. Gosse, Devon. Coast, 96 ; pi. i. figs. 9, 10. 

 ? lacerata. Dalyell, Rem. Anim. Scotl. 228 ; pi. xlvii. figs. 



12—17. 

 Isacmcea viduata. Ehrenberg, Corall. 34. 



Sagartia viduata. Gosse, Linn. Trans, xxi. 274 ; Tenby 363 ; Man. 



Mar. Zool. i. 28 ; Ann. N. H. Ser. 3. i. 416. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 

 Form. 



Base. Adherent to rocks, but readily detached. Considerably exceeding 

 the column. 



Column. Smooth, slightly corrugated in contraction; with distinct 

 suckers on the upper half. Substance fleshy. Form cylindrical; capable 

 of great elongation, in the shape of a tall and slender pillar. Margin 

 tentaculate. 



Disk. Flat; the margin plane. Outline circular. Radii distinct; crossed 

 by fine stria?. 



Tentacles. About two hundred, arranged in five rows ; of which the first 

 and second contain each twelve, the third twenty-four, the fourth forty- 

 eight, the fifth ninety-six. Those of the first row are longest ; but there is 

 not so much difference between the rows in this respect as is the case with 

 the preceding species : those of the first row, when fully extended, are 

 longer tban the width of the disk ; all are slender, tapered to a fine point, 

 and very flexuous. They are usually carried either arching downwards 

 on every side or sub-erect, and thrown into many irregular snaky curves. 



Mouth. Set on a low cone. Lip thin ; slightly furrowed. 



Acontia. Emitted from various parts of the body, from the base to the 

 summit, occasionally ; but very reluctantly, and in small quantity : short 

 and slender. 



