SEA- ANEMONES. 81 



touched the morsel first, till it is completely surrounded, and 

 if living, overpowered. It is passed along from hand to 

 hand (if the expression may be permitted) among the ten- 

 tacles, until that side of the disc coils over towards the 

 mouth, into which it is soon sucked and disappears. If on 

 the contrary no food be given to the Actinia, and he become 

 hungry and dissatisfied with his situation (as is very likely 

 to be the case) he will probably turn his stomach inside out, 

 just as a man may turn out his pockets to show that he has 

 nothing in them. I remember being immensely astonished 

 when from the mouth of my specimen appeared several bal- 

 loon-like inflations, which gradually enlarged and presented 

 a most beautiful appearance, a kind of transparent bladder, 

 delicately ribboned. After this happens the poor creature 

 will not live long. 



When we have specimens of Actinia in glass tanks, they 

 sometimes fix their basal disc against the inner surface of the 

 sides, so as to show its structure to the observer from without. 

 This disc may be regarded as the animal's foot, for he uses 

 it just in the same manner as Gasteropods use their crawling 

 base, and effects his very slow movements by stretching out 

 a portion of the rim and drawing the other after it, little by 

 little. Its disc form and sucker-like character, enables it 



G 



