37 



flower-like creatures was the strongest inciteraeiit towards the 

 origiaal invention and perfection of the Aquarium. 



Although I have said thej'^ are flower-like in appearance, the 

 resemblance is superficial only, it is in no way real. The Sea 

 Anemones are as much Animals as are Fishes, Crabs, or Lobsters. 



The sense of touch appears very highly developed, and they 

 seize with great avidity any prey coming within reach of their 

 outstretched tentacles. 



The struggles of their victims are soon subdued by the power 

 they have of stinging and paralyzing them. 



This stinging property may be tested by any one sceptical on 

 on the point, by allowing an Actinia to seize the tongue with its 

 tentacles, the effect is very disagreeable, and a pain continues for 

 hours. 



These apparently soft and inoffensive-looking creatures are 

 very voracious. Shrimps, Prawns, and Crabs are swallowed whole, 

 and digested with ease ; one has been known to swallow an 

 Escallop, and another a Sea Hedgehog, in spite of its spines ; it 

 would have been thought these latter would have pierced the 

 lining of the stomach, but the contrary took place ; the action of 

 the stomach rubbed off" the spines and exliausted all the nutrition, 

 the shell of the Sea Hedgehog being disgorged in a few days 

 perfectly empty. 



The Sea Anemones are the easiest kept in captivity of any 

 mai'ine creatures, and are certainly amongst the most beautifiil. 

 I have had one living in my hall for U yeai's ; during this period 

 the sea water has been unchanged, and the only attention 

 bestowed upon the Actinia has been to give it an occasional worm. 



It was about ten years without moving from the spot to which 

 it had adhered, and it would probably never have moved, had not 

 an accident happened which i-endered its chosen site untenable. 



The time at my disposal is nearly exhausted, but I wish to say 

 a few more words on the Ascidians. The larval or young stage 

 of these creatures shews traces of structure approximating to 

 vertebrates. 



Mr. Darwin says, " We should be justified in believing that 

 " at an extremely remote period a gToup of animals existed re- 

 " sembling in many respects the larvaj of oiu- present Ascidians, 

 " which diverged into two great branches, the one retrograding in 

 " development and producing the present class of x\scidians, the 

 " other rising to the crown and summit of the animal kingdom 

 " by giving birth to the vertebrate." 



