150 COOKERY. 



around the edge of the vase-like cell. The rays or 

 tentacles are slender and long, of equal thickness 

 throughout, and marked with numerous whorls of 

 rough projecting points, which appear to me to ter- 

 minate in very fine but short bristles, not however of 

 a ciliary nature. I cannot discern any vortex produ- 

 ced by the tentacles at all. When alarmed, or when 

 the water becomes deoxygenated, the polype contracts 

 its whole body (uniformly by a real contraction of its 

 substance, not by an involution of the parts,) and 

 draws the tentacles within the cell in a parallel bun- 

 dle. If further annoyed, it contracts still more, both 

 the body and the tentacles themselves, which can be 

 reduced in length, until they look like so many teats 

 or fingers. 



When thus contracted the margin of the cell can be 

 examined. In this specimen there is no extraneous 

 matter adhering, which is a great advantage : the edge 

 however is so subtle that it is only at the sides that 

 it can be distinctly seen. I perceive that it is trans- 

 verse ; I think perfectly so, but the sides themselves 

 form angular longitudinal folds near and at the edge, 

 which may perhaps account for the conflicting de- 

 scription of this species, as having an even or a serru- 

 late rim. 



GASTRONOMY. 



And now for a paragraph of cookery. Dicque- 

 mare's testimony to the excellence of Actinia crassi- 

 cornis for the table tempted me to taste it, and I 

 determined to take an early opportunity of cooking a 



