302' 
ZOANTIIID.E. 
morsel be laid gently on the truncate summit of the closed 
column, the converging teeth appearing, it will remain there 
until the animal seizes it. The tentacles are protruded one 
by one so cautiously that the meat is not disturbed, and 
soon we discern that it is environed by a wall of tentacles, 
and that the mouth is gaping widely to embrace it. 
After feeding, or when food which has been resting on 
the disk is suddenly taken away, the whole disk is protruded 
as a cone, on the summit of which the open throat forms a 
Avide valley, coarsely furroAved. 
The creeping-band is very sensitive ; when touched with 
a needle-point, all the polypes suddenly contract, yet not 
quite simultaneously, but in the order of succession cor- 
responding to their proximity to the point of attack. 
Mr. IIoldsAYorth tells me that “ the polypes liA’^e A'ery 
Avell Avhen detached from their support.” 
The generic name is formed from an animal, and 
av6o<;, a floAver; the English term is meant to express its 
peculiar habit. 
Shetland, G. Barlee : Northumberland, J. A. : Guernsey, 
J. A. : Torquay, TT. H. II.: CornAA^all (throughout), 
7?. Q. C. : Strangford Lough, TJ~. T. 
ASTRiEACEA. 
ZOANTHUS. 
Caryophylliacea. 
