ACTINIA. 257 



a noble figure in the second volume of Sir John Graham 

 Dalyell's splendid work. The stem of his is brownish, and 

 the disc and plumes are lilac and light yellow. This one 

 is a fine lively salmon-colour, though lighter or darker in 

 different parts, according to their position and expansion. 

 The mouth is orange ; the disc light salmon-colour, and the 

 plumes or fringes are of the same* colour, but still lighter, 

 towards the edges, like a fleecy silvery cloud, with a slight 

 tint of yellow. The body, when expanded, is marked with 

 numerous longitudinal veins of a lighter shade, sometimes 

 straight and occasionally wavy. These are crossed by an- 

 nulations of a yellower hue at the distance of about half an 

 inch from each other, the intermediate space being marked 

 with very faint veins running parallel with the rings. These 

 are scarcely perceptible ; but the longitudinal veins, crossed 

 by the ochre-tinted rings, show about enough of tartan to 

 mark its Highland origin. When it is about to fasten it- 

 self on the bottom of the vessel, it spreads forth thin scol- 

 loped folds around the base, longitudinally veined; but 

 these are hid when adhesion has taken place. 



The upper portion of the external covering is very like 

 the monophyllous calyx of a flower. From this sheath, 

 when it expands, the plumes come forth like an unfolding 



