138 SEA-ANEMONES. 



truncated, as the geometrician would say, at both extremities ; 

 the lower extremity being attached to the rock, while the upper 

 extremity, or disc, is perforated with an orifice which forms the 

 mouth, around which are several concentric circles of tapering 

 tubular tentacles or arms. It is mainly on the form, number, 

 colour, and arrangement of the tentacles, that the more obvious 

 difference between the various species of Sea- Anemones depends ; 

 but the foregoing may be taken as a fair general description of 

 the form and appearance of these animals that is to say 

 when in a contented state of mind, they stand erect and properly 

 display themselves. But it is not at all times that they are 

 thus amiably disposed ; and the beauty which at one time you 

 find spread abroad like some full-blown, flower, at another time 

 will be reduced to half its former size, its tentacles all withdrawn, 

 and the body contracted to a fleshy knob or " button." 



The Sea-Anemones are no doubt far better known to the 

 majority of sea-side visitors in this closed-up "button" shape, 

 than in the expanded form of a full-blown flower. It is scarcely 

 possible, indeed, for the most incurious of people to walk along 

 the strip of shore, left uncovered by the tide, without noticing 

 here and there on the rocks and boulders small hemispherical 

 patches of what looks like flesh, of a dull red or liver colour, 

 with probably one here and there of a green colour, or mottled 

 with green and red. These are closed-up specimens of the com- 

 mon Smooth Anemone, which perhaps because it is common 

 is dignified with the tremendous name of Actinia mesembryan- 

 themum. If one of these attached to a pebble be gently taken 

 up and placed in a pool of clear water, it will gradually put out 

 its tentacle and show its mouth, in the shape of a long slit 

 bounded by a pair of pursed-up lips, in the centre of the disc. 

 Two minutes' search in the tide-pools near would probably lead 

 to the discovery of several of the animals fully expanded ; and 

 now, if our explorer likes, having seen the button open out into 

 the flower, he may see the opposite phase of the proceeding, 

 namely, the flower contract into the button. One touch of his 

 walking-stick will be enough. Immediately the outspread ten- 

 tacles are withdrawn and the animal shuts himself up in evident 

 displeasure. It is precisely to use Keats's beautiful simile 



" As though a rose should shut, and be a bud again." 



