140 RESEMBLANCE TO FLOWERS. 



you plant your dahlias, or the anemones, vegetable namesakes, and 

 thus contrive a very pretty submarine parterre of animal flowers. 



The resemblance of the fully-expanded Actiniae to flowers is 

 in many cases very striking ; and Dr. Johnston, in his History of 

 British Zoophytes, mentions, as a curious illustration of the fact, 

 that, on one occasion, a bee wandering near a specimen of cras- 

 sicornis, covered merely by a rim of water, was seen to dart 

 straight at the mouth of the animal, evidently mistaking it for 

 a flower. The poor insect soon discovered its mistake, of course, 

 and struggled hard to get free ; but the Anemone kept fast hold 

 of his prisoner, and speedily swallowed him. No doubt insects 

 are sometimes far from discriminating in matters of this sort, 

 and we have ourselves seen a butterfly knocking itself against a 

 shop window in obvious anxiety to get at some gaily-coloured 

 prints of flowers which were exhibited inside. But the resem- 

 blance of crassicornis to a full-blown flower is certainly very great ; 

 and Mr. Gosse is quite justified in accepting for it the name 

 of the Dahlia, by which it has been christened by some of his 

 fair pupils. In size, beauty, and variety of tints it is more than 

 worthy of the name, though it is by no means singular in this 

 respect, the entire race of Anemones having more or less of the 

 same beautiful and flower-like appearance. 



Let nobody imagine, however, that the Anemones spread 

 abroad their tentacles in vain conceit of their own beauty. It is 

 hunger, not vanity, which prompts the display ; and in the 

 Aquarium one has to be careful with the tit-bits of oyster, or the 

 over-fed beauties will shut up, and turn their backs upon you 

 in sheer indifference. In the matter of feeding, the secret is, a 

 little at a time, and not too often ; your pets will then be almost 

 constantly on the look-out for provender, exhibiting their charms 

 to the greatest advantage. In this condition the animals readily 

 grasp at any small object that may float or fall within reach of 

 the outspread tentacles, and if adapted for food it is immediately 

 drawn towards the mouth, which dilates to receive the expected 

 morsel, and again slowly closes over it. The tentacles have a 

 strongly adhesive power sufficient to retain small objects by 

 mere contact ; but in addition to this the Anemones are possessed 

 of a poisonous property of such potency, that when they choose 

 to put it forth they can easily overpower and retain animals of 

 considerable size. 



