sxxYin 
IKTKODUCIION. 
presented to the tentacles of a fully expanded T. crassicornis. 
After contact, and momentary adhesion, I Avithdrew the 
cuticle, and examined it under a power of 600 diameters. 
I found, as I had expected, cnidce studding the surface, 
standing up endAvise, the Avires in every case shot into the 
substance. They Avere not numerous — in a space of '01 
inch square, I counted about a dozen. 
I then irritated a S. parasitica till it ejected an acontium, 
and taking up Avith pliers another shaving of the cuticle, 
alloAved it to touch the acontium, Avhich instantly adhered 
across its surface. I noAv drcAV aAvay the cuticle gently, so 
as not to rupture the acontium, and examining it as before, 
immediately saAV dense groups of cnidce, standing endAvise 
on the surface, the ecthorcea all discharged and inserted in 
the substance almost to the A^ery capsules. The groups 
Avere set in a sinuous line, across tlie cuticle, Avhei'e the 
acontium had adhered, Avith scattered cnidce betAveen them 
on the same line. In one of these groups I counted thirty- 
five cnidce in an area about ’0025 inch square. 
These examples prove that the slightest contact Avith the 
proper organs of the Anemone is sufficient to provoke the 
discharge of the cnidce; and that even the densest condition 
of the human skin offers no impediment to the penetration 
of the ecthorcea. 
As to the injection of a poison, it is indubitable that 
pain, and in some cases death, ensues even to Axrtebrate 
animals from momentary contact A\dth the capsuliferous 
organs of the Zoophyta. The very severe pain, folloAved 
by torpor, lasting for a Avhole day, Avhich Mr. George 
Bennett has described as experienced by himself, on taking 
hold of Physcdis pelagica, Avas produced by the contact of 
the tentacles. The late Professor EdAvard Forbes has 
graphically depicted the “prickly torture ” Avhich results to 
“ tender-skinned bathers,” from the touch of the long 
filamentous tentacles — “poisonous threads” — of the Cyanoea 
capillata of our oavu seas ; and observes that these ampu- 
tated Aveapons severed from the parent-hody, sting as fiercely 
as if their original proprietor itself gave the Avord of 
attack. I have been assured by ladies that they have felt 
a distinct stinging sensation, like that produced by the 
leaves of the nettle, on the tender skin of the fingers, from 
handling our common Anthea cereus ; Avhile, on the other 
hand, I haA^e myself handled the species, scores of times, 
