SEA-ANEMONES. 85 



working man, by exciting a kind of admiring sympathy, 

 productive of charitable contributions; and I more than 

 suspect that the twin Acthiice make a very good business of 

 their peculiarity ; for of course every visitor must see both 

 heads fed, and by this means, by the kindness of their pos- 

 sessor, they get many and many a morsel which but for the 

 happy partnership they would not have enjoyed. 



Much has been said respecting the power of stinging pos- 

 sessed by these animals, and by Polypiferous Zoophytes in 

 general, in consequence of which they are called "Sea- 

 Nettles," and by the French " Orties de la Mer." The 

 experience of those who have handled them differs greatly ; 

 and of course the power will differ in different species under 

 different circumstances. Thus the Arithea possesses it in a 

 greater degree than most others of the family. It is exer- 

 cised by means of fine darts pervading the body, and is con- 

 nected with a great power of adhesion. In the ' Manual of 

 Marine Zoology ' it is remarked that " most, if not all, of 

 these polypes have the power of arresting, by a touch of 

 their bodies, other animals much higher in rank than them- 

 selves, and of instantly benumbing them, so that they may 

 be sucked in and devoured without resistance. This power 

 resides in the highly elastic threads or wires, which are 



