SEA-ANEMONES. 



73 



height, tapering from the base and the summit to the middle, 

 and supporting a crown of many pellucid tentacles. The 

 inner row of these stand up and arch outward, the outer ones 

 hang out a little way and then droop with perfect grace. The 

 contrast between the two conditions is really startling ; and as 

 you observe the tentacles slowly but continuously writhing 

 you admit the propriety of the English name. 



THE OPELET. 



The column is marked with a series of paler longitudinal 

 lines, and on its upper portion there are small suckers, though 

 the creature does not appear to use them. The distinctive 

 mark of the species is its long, lithe, transparent grey tentacles. 

 There is a very fine black line running along each side of 

 these, and at right angles to them is a couple of bands of 

 white one at the base and one about the middle. 



