214 ZOOPHYTES. 



cated originating tentacula ; another of the six was red, with twenty-four 

 tentacula, spreading five lines between their opposite tips. The last but one 

 of the whole, from the aged specimen so often referred to, was almost 

 white, very small, and with ten tentacula ; the last of its progeny that I 

 saw, was of pale colour, and of considerable size. 



The dimensions of the individuals composing a brood are neither 

 affected by the number, nor by the season of the year. The largest ever 

 occurring was nearly twice the size of that just specified, with twenty-four 

 tentacula on its birth in December, and the mouth tinged with purple. 



How these nascent animals are nourished to become so large is pro- 

 blematical. 



Feeding certainly promotes fertility. But the ovarium, if there be 

 such a collective portion of its organization, may be exhausted at last in 

 the Actinia. Whether there may not be a new depositation for the ele- 

 ments of germs continually going on, whether this takes place only at in- 

 tervals, or whether only the evolution of pristine principles from first to last 

 brings the progeny to light, is too abstruse a question for discussion here. 



Many observers have alluded to the change of the Actinia's colour 

 with the season of the year, also to the delicacy of its sensations, as indi- 

 cating the perception of meteorological alterations. As to the former, 

 now when we are on the subject of its early and progressive stages, we 

 may remark, that there is no absolute rule either then or at auy subsequent 

 period of existence. Specimens appear darker or lighter, more vivid or 

 duller, but not according to the season. Neither, as above said, have I 

 seen much of the latter. The greatest and most sudden change seems to 

 go no farther in effect than produced by temperature. Perhaps there may 

 be some tendency to contraction during the predominance of the north 

 wind, which in itself has always a noted influence on the temperature of 

 the atmosphere; nay more, its prevalence has undoubtedly a universal, 

 and, in general, a pernicious effect on all the animated beings of this country. 

 An attentive observer will readily discover it by the distempers of any 

 city, or of any district of Scotland exposed to its influence. The true 

 colour of the Actinia mesembryanthemum is probably to be discovered 

 only in the young. No one inspecting the dusky adult would conclude 



