Stucket and Walton. — Sea-anemones. 



541 



Art. LV. — Notes on a Collection of Sea-anemones. 

 By F. G. A. Stuckey, M.A., and C. L. Walton. 



[Bead before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 1st September, 1909.] 



Walton, chiefly on the shores of 

 species are represented, of which 

 These seven are, — 



5. Paractis ferax (Stuckey). 



6. Bunodes inconspicua (Hutton). 



7. Cradactis magna (Stuckey). 



10. Bunodes minima. 



The specimens were collected by Mr. 

 Manukau Harbour. We find that ten 

 seven have been previously described. 



1. Actinia tenehrosa (Farquhar). 



2. Anemonia olivacea (Hutton). 



3. Sagartia albocincta (Hutton). 



4. Sagartia vagrans (Stuckey). 



The three new species are, — 



8. Paractis fleurei. 



9. Bunodes rosea. 



A peculiar phenomenon of companionship was observed between Cra- 

 dactis magna and a small 

 crab {Halicarcinus plan- 

 atus). The crab rested, 

 apparently quite at ease, 

 -among the expanded ten- 

 tacles of the anemone, 

 or clung to the warts on 

 the column. If removed, 

 the crabs immediately 

 scuttled back to the ane- 

 mone, climbed the column, 

 and settled down again 

 among the tentacles or 

 ■even on the disc. The 

 anemone made no attemj)t 

 to close its tentacles over 

 this crab, but if crabs of 

 other species were placed 

 among the tentacles thev 

 showed great fear, and 

 attempted to escape. The 

 tentacles closed over the 

 crab, and if any append- 

 ages were lost by the 

 latter thev were imme- 

 diately devoured. Three Sphmder 

 specirnens of the Halicar- Endoderm 

 cinus sent to Dr. Chilton Mesogloea 

 for identification all Ectoderm 

 proved to be females. ' ^^^ I.-Paractis fleurei. 



