BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 171 



Actinia felina and A. senilis {Linn.), A. crassicornis 

 (Miill, Fabr., Cocks, G.J., P. H. G., D. L., Aid.), A. 

 Holsatica {Miill.), A. ? fiscella (Miill.), A. ? bimaculata 

 {Gruhe), A. coriacea {Guvier, Haiip., Teale, Cochs, Tug-- 

 loell, G. t/., D.L., Aid.), A. gemmacea {Dalyell, G.J., 

 R. Q. C.), Rhodactinia Davesii (Agns., Verril), Cribrina 

 coriacea {Elir.), Isacmeea papillosa {Ehr.), Bunodes 

 crassicornis (P. H. G., C. Kingsley), Tealia Greenii 

 {Wright, P. H. G.), T. tuberculata {Gocl^s, P. H. G.). 



Hab. : Generally distributed. Height 2 in., diam.3 in. 



Colour. Sir John Dalyell says, "No species is 

 equally diversified in colour and aspect. Red is usually 

 predominant. The surface of many is variegated red 

 and white like a rose, or with orange, green, and 

 yellow intermixed {meloides) . One is almost totally 

 white (grey, vilis), another dull crimson- (jntrpurea), 

 another wholly primrose-yellow (aurea). It may be 

 truly affirmed that the diversities baffle enumeration 

 and description.''^ The italics are the names of the 

 varieties as given by Mr. Gosse. 



The surface of the column is covered with warts, to 

 which stones and shells adhere. The tentacles are 

 conical, and number 80 arranged in five rows. 



No one who has once seen this species can doubt or 

 mistake its identity. It is one which may be kept 

 with ease in an aquarium, and there forms an object 

 of great interest. It appears to be able to alter very 

 considerably the shape of the tentacles, and to distend 

 them with water until quite transparent. It also dis- 

 tends its whole body very greatly, its oesophagus being 

 often completely exposed by aversion, in consequence 

 of the quantity of water imbibed. It also has a very 

 common habit of extending single tentacles to a con- 



