82 Prof. R. C. R. Jordan on Actiniadse 



Actinia. 



Div. I. Skin smooth. 



«. Conspicuous tubercles on the margin of the oral disc. 



1. A. Mesembryanthemum. 



Abundant in every locality examined. Though specimens 

 may be found of almost eveiy shade of colour, there are yet 

 three marked varieties which admit of description. The first 

 (var. «.) is when full-grown much larger than either of the other 

 two : the example figured by Dr. Johnston as the largest ever 

 seen by Mr. Cocks is by no means of unusual size. The ground 

 colour is of a rich red, which is thickly studded with spots of a 

 lively emerald-green. The oral tubercles are bright blue, and 

 the disc is encircled with a narrow line of the same colour. The 

 tentacles are red, generally slightly paler than the body. The 

 second variety (var. /3.) is, with the exception of the tubercles 

 and the blue line around the disc, of a uniform red, and the 

 third (var. 7.) is, with the same exceptions, of an olive-green 

 colour. 



This Anemone serves well to prove that colour alone must not 

 be taken as a guide to the determination of species amongst the 

 ActinicB. We met with some striped with green or blue, others 

 entirely of a pale lilac, of an emerald-green, or even of a blue 

 colour, whilst some are of so dark a red as to be almost black. 

 The most marked of these varieties were found on the Shaldon 

 side of the river Teign, rather further on than the Ness Rock. 

 The paler specimens were on the under surface of stones, and 

 were probably etiolated for want of light. 



On the rocks by the "Breakwater" at Teignmouth, we found 

 a double monstrosity of this species, two Anemones but only one 

 disc. This is not rare amongst the Actinia. 



This species is hardy enough to bear almost any treatment. 

 Some which we have long had in our possession have more 

 than once given birth to young; these are extruded by the 

 mouth. The very young Actinia differ in their lighter colour, 

 and in possessing a far less number of tentacles, which are 

 also of greater proportionate length. The tubercles also are not 

 conspicuous in the very young. Some have been sprinkled with 

 green even at birth. This species can scarcely be confounded 

 with any other. It expands freely, but perhaps more in the 

 daytime than the night. It is sluggish in habit, but occa- 

 sionally moves by elongating the disc in the direction towards 

 which it is advancing. In contraction it never becomes much 

 adpressed, but always retains somewhat of a conical form. Its 



