156 
ANTHEAD^. 
from the bottom of the tentacle, and passes up very slowly, 
occupying many hours. 
When once it has adhered, and recovered its health, its 
elegant postures and forms, and its remarkable versatility, 
make the Aiptasia an interesting occupant of the aquarium. 
It marches from stone to stone, and around the walls of its 
tank, frequently creeping to the top of the water, and ex- 
panding its base upon the sm-face, almost or even quite 
floating, while the disk and tentacles, widely expanded, are 
suspended below in mid-water. In these habits we see a 
close resemblance to Anthea cereus, as also in the texture 
of the body, and in the tentacles, which in both genera 
are lined with a profusion of dark-brown pigment-granules, 
which are readily separated. 
Occasionally I have noticed that it has the power of 
adhesion to foreign bodies by the general sm’face of the 
column ; a habit common to several of the Hyantlndce, (as 
the Halcampce, for example,) but which, I think, is not 
possessed by Anthea. 
When in full vigour it towers up to the height repre- 
sented in the figure, when, with its ever-twisting tentacles 
and semi-pellucid tapering column, it is a very elegant 
object. When thus greatly elongated, the loop-holes are 
plainly seen with a lens. I have been able to thrust the 
point of a fine needle into one and another of these orifices, 
without meeting any resistance ; and, by using great care, 
without the animal’s being conscious of it ; when it did feel 
the touch, however, it suddenly contracted. 
Under these and similar irritations, it contracts in length 
by successive spasmodic jerks, but makes no attempt to 
roll in the margin of the disk, or to hide the tentacles in 
any way. Yet it has the power of involving the disk. It 
feeds greedily, tlirowing the margin in folds over the mouth. 
After a full meal, I have seen it take the sliape of a ripe 
