84 A MANUAL 



speckled body to be noticed and admired, though 

 the markings of his disc are no less beautiful. He 

 takes no trouble about fixing himself in new quarters, 

 but lies indolently on his side, and lazily puts out a 

 tentacle or two in case any tit-bit should happen to 

 float by within his reach. 



One word about Anthea cereus, our eccentric 

 acquaintance " Legs." I am inclined to think that 

 he possesses a philosophic mind of a very high 

 order. He is always contented and cheerful and 

 active, and makes the best of whatever situation he 

 finds himself placed in. As soon as he is thrown 

 into a glass or tank he lies sprawling and kicking 

 about at the bottom for a short time, apparently in a 

 state of no small bewilderment, but quickly recovers 

 himself, and climbs rapidly up the sides of the 

 receptacle, where he fastens himself just under the 

 water-line, so that he can sweep the under surface 

 of the air with his long tentacles, and these he is 

 always waving about in all directions with a graceful 

 sweeping or a quick jerking motion, so that a colony 

 of these animals in full health resembles a forest of 

 poplars tossing and heaving in a whirlwind. 



Let me, in conclusion, again urge the great im- 

 portance of careful and accurate observation, both of 

 habits and colouring, as well as of the " habitats," 

 or the places and positions in which the sea-ane- 

 mones are to be found. 



If the observer have no time or inclination to 



