DR Wright's observations. 179 



bers being frequently found in a very limited space. 

 At Arran he had seen several hundreds closely aggre- 

 gated together, clothing the roof of a wide low cave, 

 and hanging down like so many membranous bags half 

 filled with water. A similar colony had existed on the 

 perpendicular surface of a single large stone opposite 

 to the Baths at Seafield ; and again, another on the 

 under surface of a laro-e overhano-ino; rock at Wardie. 

 It had been a matter of question w^ith the author, how 

 the young of these Actinias, if ejected from the mouth, 

 as in Actinia meseinhryanthemiiyn, troglodytes, hellis, 

 and gemmacea, were able to attach themselves to the 

 rocks, instead of falling down and being washed away 

 by the tide. It was known that Actinia mesemhry- 

 anthemum, troglodytes, and hellis were exceedingly 

 prolific. Sir John Dalyell and Dr Cobbold having seen 

 twenty or thirty produced at a single litter from the 

 first species, and yet the number of very young Acti- 

 nias found in situations where old specimens abounded 

 was very small, and certainly bore no proportion to the 

 number generated. The cave at Arran was very diffi- 

 cult of access, on account of its shallowness and the 

 floor being covered by a pool of water ; and the Acti- 

 nias were only to be reached by assuming a posture 

 which could not be maintained for more than a few 

 minutes. A number were, however, obtained, which, 

 being attached to sponges, were easily stripped from 

 the rock, and with them were associated a great num- 

 ber of very small specimens. Not long afterwards the 

 author noticed a number of young surrounding a large 



