SEA-ANEMONES. 77 



that will not fall to the hasty collector who rushes with a mere 

 glance from pool to pool, but it will soon reward the careful 

 and patient investigator who is willing to recline at the side of 

 a small pool until his eyes have closely scrutinised every inch 

 of the bottom, and given the fixed objects a chance of reveal- 

 ing themselves by a slight movement. 



Owing to the transparency of the tentacles in B. verrucosa, 

 an interesting point in the natural history of the species may 

 be observed without difficulty. The larvae are retained by the 

 Pimplet until they have developed their first series of tentacles? 

 and the hollow tentacles of the parent are made use of as 

 convenient receptacles in which to store the brood until it is 

 ready to be sent forth into the surrounding waters. Four or 

 five of these may be seen in one tentacle. For some time 

 after their discharge these young Pimplets are exceedingly 

 beautiful. They are pellucid, and in them the remarkable 

 structure of anemones may be clearly seen. When first, 

 excluded they are nearly globular, about one-twelfth of an 

 inch in diameter, crowned with a double circlet of tentacles, 

 the outer arching outward and downward, the inner more 

 erect. Within a few minutes they have increased in size to one- 

 sixth of an inch, by the mere absorption of water, their tissues 

 becoming relatively more transparent, and their forms pro- 

 tean. From the globular form they have quickly changed to 

 one more cylindrical, or to a cylinder with a bulbous base, 

 then to a long inverted cone. 



The Pimplet is easily removed ; he has not got that un- 

 pleasant habit of squeezing himself into a crevice, like the 

 Cave-dweller; and when placed in the aquarium he shows 

 no resentment of his change of quarters, but makes himself at 

 home and reveals his beauties at once, even before he has 

 well fixed his base. 



An allied species, the Red-specked Pimplet (Bunodes bdllii), 

 may be found under stones at low-water, but is more frequent 

 in the deeper water outside our zone. It is of a warmer hue 



