202 ANTHOZOA HELIANTHOIDA. 



I. Z. COUCHII, body cylindrical; tentacula in 

 circles. R. Q. Couch. 



PLATE XXXV. FIG. 9. 

 Zoantlius Couchii, Couch Corn. Faun. iii. 73, pi. 15, fig. 3. 



Hob. " On flat slates and rocks in deep water, from one to ten 

 leagues from the shore, throughout the Cornish part of the British 

 Channel: Common." H. Q. Couch. 



" This, in being compound, differs from all other European species 

 of the order, and approaches very closely in form to the Actinia 

 sociata of Ellis. It is a very small species, and composed of a num- 

 ber of Actinias united together at their bases by a thin encrusting 

 fleshy band. It is of a light sandy or opaque red colour, and its 

 surface is minutely glandular. In its contracted state it is sub-co- 

 noidal, resembling both in shape and size a split pea. When living, 

 except that it is glandular, its surface is plain, but when preserved 

 it becomes corrugated. When semi-expanded, which is its favourite 

 state, it elevates itself to about twice its former height, and becomes 

 contracted about its middle into an hour-glass form. The upper 

 portion is lighter than the lower, and the superior or oral surface is 

 marked by a central depression or mouth, and from it radiate to the 

 circumference numerous rows of whitish glandular-looking bodies, 

 which are the tentacula in a contracted state. When the creature 

 is fully expanded, the tentacula become distended and elongated to 

 about the length of the transverse diameter of the body ; and they 

 are generally darker at their extremities than towards the base. 

 Like all the Actiniae, the present species possesses a power of con- 

 siderably altering its shape ; most frequently it is in the shape of an 

 hour-glass, at others the oral surface is contracted to a mere point, 

 and then occasionally is again enlarged to nearly twice the size of 

 any other part ; sometimes the mouth is depressed, and at others is 

 elevated into an obtuse cone. This species in addition to being 

 rooted is one of the most inactive of its order j for whether in a 

 state of contraction or expansion, it will remain so for many days, or 

 even a week, without apparent change. If it should be in an ex- 

 panded state, a touch will make it contract, and it will, most com- 

 monly, remain so for several days. Its most favourite state, is the 

 semi-expanded, in which it will sometimes remain from a week to a 

 fortnight without change. 



" The trailing connecting band is flat, thin, narrow, and of the 



