Individuals of the Genus Actinia. 21 



manner. These cilise were found to be always present up to 

 an advanced age in the Actinia, but do not seem to have 

 been observed in the adult animal, and are therefore most likely 

 wanting. 



" I have also had an opportunity of verifying the observations 

 of others, that the cavity of the Actinia, which is situated 

 between the stomach and exterior wall of the body, is provided 

 with ciliated epithelium, for on crushing a young specimen 

 under the microscope, epithelial scales were seen to escape, 

 which moved about for some time by means of their cilise. 



" By the aid of the exterior cilise the young Actinia moves 

 through the water, and indeed in the interior of the parent, 

 always progressing with the base, or rather the point at which 

 it afterwards makes its appearance, foremost. When very 

 young, this swimming action is somewhat quick, but as the 

 Actinia increases in dimensions the motion becomes slower, 

 and at last the basal disc becomes apparent. Up to this time, 

 and even sometimes after the base is formed, the creature often 

 adheres to foreign objects by means of its tentacles, the urtri- 

 cating capsules of which seem to be strongly developed. 



" It is at this period of the appearance of the base, that the 

 cilise, being no longer needed, most likely disappear. Food is not 

 now required to be passed to the mouth, as the arms or tentacles 

 appear, and the animal can search for and capture large prey, — 

 though we often find full grown specimens, sujoporting them- 

 selves for months on the microscopic animals living in the 

 water. The tentacles in A. meserabryanthemum make tlieir 

 appearance first as four, or sometimes more protuberances, and 

 when these have reached maturity, others are added to them. 

 The tentacles of the young animal are always longer in propor- 

 tion than those of the adult. 



"The normal mode in which the young Actinias are produced 

 does not seem to be through the orifices at the extremities of 

 the tentacles, or at least no one has seen them so brouglit forth. 

 The natural mode is by the opening at the bottom of the stomach, 



