Actinia.. Z. HELIANTHOIDA. 223 



The trivial name which I have bestowed on this species is intend- 

 ed to indicate the place of its first discovery, Tuedia being, according 

 to Sir Robert Sibbald, the ancient name of the maritime parts of Ber- 

 wickshire. It is not uncommon on that coast, but is found only in 

 deep water, whence it is dragged up by the fishermen. I have often 

 found the tentacula, in a separate state, adhering to their lines ; and 

 as these retain their irritability and motion for a long time, they are 

 apt to be mistaken for independent and perfect worms, which they 

 much resemble. 



Dr Turton has introduced into his Compendium of the British 

 Fauna, p. 131, two species which I purposely omit. These are, I. 

 Actinia Caryophillus,* for which " Martin's Marine Worms" is 

 quoted, a work apparently very rare, and which 1 have not been able 

 to procure ; 2. A. ANEMONOiDp;s,f quoted from Shaw's Natura- 

 list's Miscellany, tab. 26, 27. The plates referred to I have not seen, 

 but I have looked over some volumes of the work, and I entirely 

 agree with Dr Leach in thinking it contemptible and unworthy of ci- 

 tation : the figures are in general copies from others, coloured from 

 the descriptions, without a single hint being given that this is the 

 case, and the colours are laid on in a patched and gaudy manner, only 

 to be rivalled in the pictures which adorn the toy-books of children. 



Observations. 

 The Actiniae adhere to rocks, shells, and other extraneous bodies 

 by means of a glutinous secretion from their enlarged base ; but they 

 canleave their hold and remove to another station whensoever it pleases 

 them, either by gliding along with a slow and almost imperceptible 

 movement,:}: as is their usual method ; or by revei'sing the body and 

 using the tentacula for the purpose of feet, as Reaumur asserts, § and 

 as I have once witnessed ; or lastly, inflating the body with water to 

 render it more buoyant, they detach themselves and are driven to a 

 distance by the random motion of the waves. They feed on shrimps, 

 small crabs, whelks, and similar shelled mollusca, or, probably with 

 indifference, on whatever animals are brought within their reach, and 

 whose strength or agility is insufficient to extricate them from the 

 grasp of their numerous tentacula, for as these organs can be inflect- 



* Stew. Elem. i. 394. Turt. Gmel. iv. 103. Pe7i. Brit Zool. iv. lOG. 



f Tnrt. Gmel. iv. 101. Act. anemone, Pen. Brit. Zool. iv. 106. 



I Reaumur found that they require an hour to advance one or two inches . 

 but I have seen A. Mesembryanthemum advance at a rate considerably quicker 

 — half an inch in about five minutes. 



§ Mem. de I'Acad. Roy. des Sc. 1710, p. 621. 



