74 BY THE DEEP SEA. 



On the rocks that are uncovered only at the recess of the 

 spring tides, and in the shallow pools a little higher up the 

 shore, we shall find abundant supplies of Opelets (Anemonia 

 sulcatd), here buried in holes with only the tentacles protrud- 

 ing, there attached to the bare rock-surface and exhibiting a 

 substantial brown column, short but very broad, and bearing 

 an innumerable, almost disorderly crowd of snaky-tentacles, 

 ever writhing and intertwining. In some specimens these are 

 a lovely lustrous green with lilac tips ; in others grey, or white, 

 or yellow. The grey and the green are the most abundant 

 forms, and we may take the satiny green as the typical form. 

 One peculiarity will soon strike him that makes its acquaint- 

 ance for the first time that unlike the other Anemones he 

 knows, he cannot see one with tentacles withdrawn. There is 

 no button stage in the Opelet, but there is a corresponding 

 restful condition when the waters have receded from its rock, 

 and the previously solid-looking column has collapsed, and 

 the flaccid tentacles hang in an empty, lifeless manner among 

 the weeds. The Opelet does not settle down permanently on 

 one spot. He likes a change, and so never attaches his broad 

 base very strongly. It is easy to get him off the rock when he 

 is wanted for an aquarium specimen, and it is equally easy for 

 him to slide off, and, inflating his base to a great size, float on 

 the surface of the water with his tentacles waving downwards. 



The Opelet attains a great size, and then appears to delight 

 in sitting on the broad leathery fronds of Laminaria, with 

 which his olive column harmonises well. 



I had a specimen for about eight months that practically 

 filled a bell-glass, nine inches in diameter. Stationed in the 

 middle, he could nearly touch the glass all round with the tips 

 of his tentacles; as a matter of fact he was nearly an inch 

 away, which meant that the area occupied by his tentacles 

 was at least seven inches across, and when he chose to inflate 

 himself fully he could improve upon this. He was a very 

 voracious feeder, and there was always room in his capacious 



