348 Miscellaneous. 



the pair ; the bniul Lifurcntcs ncnr its extremity, nnd encloses the 

 third tentacle ; these branches again divide and form a sinnlar cnclo- 

 snre for the arms of the fonrth row : beyond these is a set of very 

 sliort tentacula ; these, as far as I liave been able to examine them, 

 are not connected with the yellow bands, bnt their small size and the 

 ditticulty of seeing their entire length when the animal is expanded, 

 reniler it almost impossible to describe their exact appearance. On 

 the surface of the disk a cream-coloured spot is situated near the 

 base of each tentacle of the first and second rows, those connected 

 •with the inner series being farther removed from them than those of 

 the second ; the alternation of light and shade produced by this 

 arrangement gives a batllemented a])pearancc to the disk, and adds 

 considerablv to the general effect. The tentacula rapidly diminish 

 in size from those of the inner row outwards ; they arc dark brown 

 nt the bases, becoming paler towards the tips, an([ are encircled by 

 three well-defined white rings, of which the Ijasal ones arc very 

 distinct. Several examples of this species were obtained at extreme 

 low water-mark, from a large mass of detached rocks known as the 

 Mewstone, near the entrance to Dartmouth harl)our. They were met 

 with on two or three occasions, but were always found nestling among 

 the roots of Laminaria digitata. 



A few -weeks since, part of a plant of Laininaria was sent to me 

 from Devon, and among the roots I found six specimens of an 

 Actinia that closely resembled the one just described, excepting that 

 the brown on the tentacula and certain parts of the disk was rejjlaccd 

 by various shades of red. These animals differ so little, except in 

 the general colour of the disk and appendages, that imtil I have an 

 opportunitv of examining some more specimens, I must consider the 

 red one as only a variety of the other, and as such I would pro- 

 visionally describe it. This uncertainty obliges me to depart from 

 the old-established rule of giving the specific name from some marked 

 character in the animal, and 1 must therefore propose the more 

 general title of ornata for the brown species, and snggest that of 

 ruhida for the red one, should it on future examination prove to be 

 distinct, which I am inclined to think is probable. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



OBITUARY NOTICE. WILLIAM YARRELL. 



The list of British zoologists has just lost one of its best and 

 brightest ornaments in the person of William Yarrell, who died sud- 

 denly at Yarmouth on Monday the 1st of September. Mr. Yarrell 

 was born in June 17H4, in Duke Street, St. James's, where his father 

 carried on the business of a newspaper agent : this business was after- 

 wards continued by the son in Ryder Street until nearly the time of 

 his decease. 



On the 3rd of August last, as he was returning from church, he 

 was seized by a giddiness and unsteadiness of foot, which proved to 



