1*72 JOURNAL OF THE [October, 



ing another set of tentacles on the crown or head of the 

 Anemone arranged around the mouth, which occupies the 

 center of these soft waving tentacles, all forming the flower-like 

 shape, from which they very appropriately take their name. 



The body may be described as a circular, gelatinous bag, 

 the bottom of which is quite flat, sometimes spreading unevenly 

 around the margin. The upper edge of this bag is turned in, so 

 as to form a sac within a sac. The inner sac is the stomach, or 

 digestive cavity, with an aperture in the bottom, through which 

 the food can pass into the outer cavity. The eggs are attached 

 to, and hang on the inner edge of the partitions, and, when 

 mature, they drop into the main body-cavity, and enter the 

 inner digestive sac, through the hole in its lower portion, and 

 are passed out through the mouth. The creature, however, 

 does not ignominiously eject its young. The little ones are 

 very tenderly taken from its mouth by two tentacles, which 

 become wonderfully elongated for the occasion, and with their 

 prehensile touch each young Anemone, now perfect in form 

 and all its functions, no larger than a pin's head, is carefully 

 and slowly let down, and deposited upon the rock around the 

 base and close to the mother Anemone, and where these, which 

 I show you to-night, have remained ever since their birth, some 

 six weeks ago. 



They may remain for some time in one place, tenaciously 

 adhering by their base. They are, however, capable of motion, 

 and are very likely to move about from one spot to another. I 

 have seen them move clear across the tank in a few hours. 

 This movement is effected by a double set of muscles, one run- 

 ning around the body, and the other arranged longitudinally. 



I have brought with me to-night one of these animals and 

 her young. This species is named Actinia mesembryanthemm?i. 

 1 have fourteen young Anemones, all born in my aquarium 

 since my return from Bermuda, March 12th last, their ages 

 varying from three months down to the youngest, which was 

 born last Monday, and which you can see here under the micro- 

 scope. These little ones vary in color from light pink to bright 

 scarlet, red, dark blue, and almost black. This youngest 

 Anemone, however, like most all favorite children, I believe, is 

 a wonderful child ! As you will see, it already has its second 

 row of tentacles, numbering twelve, and it is only five days old ! 



