254 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



of tentacles, not retractile ; and their white bodies are 

 encircled with rows of reddish spots, some small, 

 others much larger, the latter surrounded with a ring 

 of white. The colour of their tentacles is dark green, 

 spotted with brown. They most resemble the Anemone 

 which is found, I believe, in Weymouth Bay, of which 

 I have one exquisite specimen — translucent white 

 spotted with red, the spots crowding towards the 

 base ; the tentacles pure white, with a brilliant apple- 

 green streak running down on either side, and passing 

 over the oral disc to the delicate pink mouth. Here 

 is another novelty, in size about one-fourth of an 

 inch in diameter, the body delicate French grey with 

 white strips, and tentacles of pure white. And here 

 is that lovely Lamp-Polype, Lucernaria, with its little 

 knobbed tentacles contracting and expanding. 



Let us pass with a mere glance at those Eolids, old 

 acquaintances, and at that solitary Ascidian, passing 

 his existence in the somewhat monotonous opening 

 and shutting of his two orifices (the only visible sign 

 of life he gives), to pause for a moment over the 

 Echinoderms. There a Goniaster is clinging to a bit 

 of stone ; and there two Comatulm (Plate VI., fig. 2) 

 expand tlieir feathery charms; a single Sea-ui^chin 

 crawls up the side of the dish, and a lovely Brittle-star 

 wrio^o^les at the bottom. To look at this brittle-star 

 you would never imagine how sensitively alive he is 

 to insult. Place but a finger on him, and he breaks 

 up his dishonoured body into fragments before your 

 eyes. He thinks no more of throwing away his legs 

 and arms, than a young lord in London thinks of 



