INTRODUCTIOX. '^ 



It is impossible to identify the commonest of sea- 

 anemones without gaining by the way a portion of 

 scientific knowledge ; we become, by the very pro- 

 cess, scientific observers ; we get a little information 

 about the construction, or the anatomy, of the animal 

 in question^ and therefore of all animals ; we get into 

 a habit of discrimination, of noticing what sort of 

 formation and of habit is peculiar to a sea-anemone, 

 and what those characters are which it shares in 

 common wdtli certain other animals : we therefore 

 analyze, generalize and classify — very hard words 

 indeed, but the signs of very simple thoughts. 



I need not add that such processes strengthen the 

 memory, improve the reasoning powers, and raise 

 the mind to an habitual love of the great Maker of 

 these varied and wonderful creations. 



From these motives, and the}- seem to me suffi- 

 ciently good and reasonable, I have selected the 

 class of animals generally known as sea-anemones, 

 and intend to describe as simply and clearly as 

 possible w4iat they are like, and where they may be 

 found — to tell my audience (presupposing, as an 

 author must, that there be an audience) a few facts 

 about their structure, their habits and their classifi- 

 cation — and to add a few hints on the best method 

 both of discovering them and of keeping them, 

 though in captivity, yet in a state of natural health 

 and beauty. I do not mean to speak of every indi- 

 vidual of the genus, but chiefly of those which are 



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