150 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



In the visceral cavity of a smooth Anemone a young 

 one as large as a cherry was found ; and to complete 

 the marvel, it was faintly striped with green, like the 

 well-known "green-striped variety," although its parent 

 was of a dark-brown hue. Could the old one have 

 swallowed an errant youth by mistake ? No. It had 

 been many weeks in captivity, where no such errant 

 youths were within reach : besides. Anemones do not 

 swallow each other, or if they should, imr distraction, 

 make a mouthful of a friend, they would quickly throw 

 him up again : cannibalism belongs to a higher grade 

 of social development. Apropos of this peculiarity of 

 colour, I may remark on the great variations observable 

 in the colour of Anemones, and the impropriety of 

 making colour the distinguishing mark of species. 

 Thus, to select a striking example, Mr Gosse makes 

 two distinct sjDecies of the Orange-disked and Orange- 

 tentacled Anemones, naming them Venusta and Aurora ; 

 but as if to prove the indifference of all such character- 

 istics, I brought with me from Tenby an Orange-disked 

 — and only one — which, before it had been home a 

 fortnight, I discovered, T\dth great surprise, was changed 

 into an Orange-tentacled — disc and tentacles being of 

 a rich orange hue, the only traces of white remaining 

 just at the tips. If there had been any other specimen 

 in the vase I might have doubted ; but having only one 

 in company with a white Daisy, and a Smooth Ane- 

 mone, there was no avoiding the conclusion. 



I have had an Anthea, with brilliant green tentacles, 

 turn to a pale grey in the course of two days, and 



