226 Z. HELIANTHOIDA. Actini.t^. 



That the Actiniae are vivijiarous is very commonly alleged, and 

 almost every naturalist who has paid attention to their habits may 

 he quoted as a witness of the escape of the young from the stomach 

 through the oral aperture. * Some have maintained that these 

 young may have been swallowed accidentally by the supposititious 

 mother, and being found unfit for digestion are consequently rejected, 

 quoting in favour of this not very feasible conjecture, an experiment 

 of Dicquemare, who, offering several small individuals to a larger one 

 of a different species, found that it swallowed them readily, " but threw 

 them up again alive within eight, ten, or twelve hours, or even later." 

 Dicquemare himself, although he expresses himself in dubious terms, 

 evidently believed them to be viviparous, having seen several bring 

 forth even in his hand, eight, ten, or twelve young ones like to their 

 parents in all but size, and which iiTimediately affixed themselves, 

 and began to stretch their tentacula as if in quest of prey. Ellis was 

 of the same belief ;f and Sir J. G. Dalyell, the best authority on the 

 subject, also says that they are viviparous. " The embryos, one or 

 more, appear firstin the tentacula, from whence they can be withdrawn 

 and transmitted to others by the parent, and are at last produced by 

 the mouth. In the course of six years, a specimen preserved by the 

 author, produced above 276 young ; some pale, and like mere specks, 

 with only eight tentacula, others florid, and with twenty. They are fre- 

 quently disgorged along with thehalf-digested food, thirty-eight appear- 



bodies are considerably extended, and their limbs divergent they surely prognos- 

 ticate fixed fair weather and a calm sea. There are times when some of the 

 anemonies are open and others shut ; the number must then be consulted, the 

 question is decided by the majority. The anemonies used as barometers should 

 not be fed, for then the quantity of nourishment might influence their predic- 

 tions. Anemonies of this and of the first species live and do well for several 

 years without taking any other food but what they find disseminated in the sea 

 water ; but should a respite of some days be granted them, they might then be 

 fed with some pieces of muscles of soft fish, and thus restored to their original 

 vigour. Whenever the vessel is sullied by the sediments of salts, slime, the 

 first shoots of sea plants, &c. it may on changing the water be cleansed by wp- 

 ing it with a soft hair pencil, or even with the finger, carefully avoiding to rub 

 or press hard on the anemonies. Should any of them drop off during this opera- 

 tion, they may be left at liberty, for they will soon of their own accord fix them- 

 selves to some other place. Should any of them die, which will soon be disco- 

 vered by the milky colour of the water, and an offensive smell on changing it, it 

 must be taken out, and on the first opportunity another of the same species be 

 put in its place ; those of a moderate size are the most eligible." Dicquemare 

 in Phil. Trans, abridg. xiii. G42-3. 



* " Leur generation ordinaire est vivipare. Les petites actinies passent de 

 I'ovaire dans lestomac et sortent par la bouche." Cuvier, Reg. Anim. iii. 291. 



t Phil. Trans. Ivii. 429. 



3 



