164 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



traced, it is necessary to begin with a few explanations, 

 which the better-instructed will pardon. 



Let us first fix in our minds a definite idea of the 

 structure of the Anemone, as far as it will be involved 

 in the subsequent remarks. Imagine a glove expanded 

 into a perfect cylinder by air, the thumb being re- 

 moved, and the fingers encircling, in two or three rows, 

 the summit of the cylinder, while at the base the glove 

 is closed by a flat surface of leather. If now on that 

 disc which lies within the circle of fingers we press 

 down the centre, and so force the elastic leather to 

 fold inwards, and form a sort of sac suspended in the 

 cylinder, we have by this means made a mouth and 

 stomach ; ' we then cut a small hole at the bottom of 

 the sac, and thus make a free communication with the 

 general cavity. AVe then divide this general cavity by 

 numerous partitions of card attached to the wall of 

 the cavity, and form a number of separate chambers 

 called the inter septal spaces. Just as the cavity of 

 the finger is continuous with the cavity of the glove, 

 so are the cavities of the tentacles continuous with 

 the interseptal spaces. In these spaces will be found 

 long coils, which are sometimes seen lolling out of the 

 mouth, and always bulge out when the Anemone is 

 cut open ; these are called the convoluted hands, and 

 to them attention is particularly directed. If the reader 

 will now look at the diagram given in Plate III. fig. 1 

 (wrong in several details), and also fig. 2, which is an 

 accurate section, and shows a portion of the stomach, 

 the convoluted bands, and under them the ovaries — he 



