SEA ANEMONES. 123 



Such are the characters of some of our commoner 

 compound Zoophytes. We shall next examine a few 

 belonging to the order Helianthoida, which are of a very 

 different description, being solitary or simple Polypes. 

 The commonest and best known of these are the Sea 

 Anemones or Actlnice, several kinds of which are to be 

 found on every shore. When the Sea Anemone is left 

 dry by the retiring tide, it withdraws its tentacles from 

 view by retracting them within the mouth, and the 

 whole body shrinks into a conical lump of wrinkled 

 flesh. The same happens if the creature be touched 

 with a finger while expanded. Were we to form our 

 idea of its beauty by inspecting it in this state, we 

 should have little cause to stop and admire it. But, 

 placed in water, and allowed to recover itself, few marine 

 animals are more beautiful than the various kinds of 

 these Actiniae. They may aptly be compared to the 

 flowers of Mesembryanthema, with their myriads of 

 lustrous petals forming a starry whole. Here the ten- 

 tacula, which surround the disc in many rows, represent 

 the petals of the flower, or may be likened to the " rays 

 of glory " in the passion-flower ; and, in the brilliancy 

 of their colours, and the lustre of their substance, 

 they much exceed their vegetable analogues. It is im- 

 possible, in an uncoloured woodcut, to do justice to 

 creatures displaying sometimes the most delicate, some- 

 times the richest tints, but the vignette at the head of 

 this chapter may serve to give some general notion 

 of their contour to persons who have never seen them. 

 Those who visit the rocky sea-shore will soon recognise 

 in the deep tide-pools near low- water-mark numerous 



