236 ZOOPHYTES. 



number of five or more lobes or compartments, whereof all the marginal 

 curvatures are fringed by a triple row, composed of shorter tentacula, 

 giving the whole a luxuriant and agreeable plumose aspect. These mar- 

 ginal tentacula, encircled by a ring, are of much smaller dimensions than 

 the others. 



One great peculiarity of the species consists in a kind of shoulder 

 or slight enlargement of the highest part of the body, with a smooth, 

 lighter, and more transparent skin extending from the body to the disc. 

 It is of a different texture from the rest, and from the ordinary surface of 

 most Actiniae. The head or disc unfolds from this skin, as from a sheath. 

 Remarkable diversity of colour is incident to the Actinia plumosa, in 

 no respect depending on its dimensions, or on the seasons. It occurs of 

 snowy white, of peach-blossom, lemon-yellow, orpiment-orange, and the 

 like ; but it is equally beautiful under every hue. 



The observer, however, may be greatly deluded by the aspect of 

 younger animals ; and I acknowledge that previous to more intimate ac- 

 quaintance with the nature of this Actinia, I was led to consider the young 

 and the adult as belonging to different species. 



The skin, also, is always separating profusely, especially when speci- 

 mens are sickly, which much affects the colour. 



Long slender filaments issue through the sides of the Actinia plumosa, 

 as from some of the others before described. 



The adult has the faculty of altering the number of lobes or com- 

 partments forming the plumose margin of the disc ; and it is from this 

 that naturalists seldom coincide in their account of them. But the young- 

 have merely a great abundance of tentacula, bordering the circular disc, 

 which at an early stage exhibits no divisions. The evolution of the higher 

 portion, as from a sheath, together with the peculiar character of the in- 

 termediate skin, are quite decided. — Plate XLVIII. fig. 6. A monstrous 

 young Actinia plumosa, consisting of two separate discs, each with its pe- 

 culiar set of tentacula, as belonging to earlier age, demonstrated the same 

 features, fig. 7. 



A surprising accession to the number of these organs ensues with time 

 and increment. On gross computation, I found that a fine lemon-yellow 



