DEAD MAN'S FINGEK. 75 



The fleshy mass is of a spongy texture, full of branch- 

 ing water-canals, and containing a multitude of cal- 

 careous spicula of characteristic forms. They resemble 

 gnarled branches of oak, with the branchlets broken 

 off, leaving ragged ends. The skin of the polyps con- 

 tains, at certain fixed spots, groups of similar spicula, 

 but much more minute. The microscope is necessary 

 to discern these, as well as some other details of the 

 organization of this very interesting creature. 



The technical character by which this animal with 

 its allies is distinguished from the proper Anemones, is 

 that its plan of organization is fashioned on the num- 

 ber eight, whereas the true Anemones have six, as their 

 characteristic number. Thus, however numerous the 

 tentacles of an anemone may be, and in the case of 

 the Daisy or the Plumose, they often amount to several 

 hundreds, the young animal began with six, and the 

 increase is normally a multiplication of six, though 

 accidental irregularities do occur. On the other hand, 

 the tentacles of the Alcyonium are permanently eight, 

 as are the vertical partitions of the interior of the body ; 

 and by consequence, the chambers into which those 

 membranous partitions divide it. 



But we must not allow the interest attaching to these 

 forms to divert our attention from the Anemones them- 

 selves. All the species which we saw on the rock 



