412 ACALEPHA. ZOANTHUS. 



nal, margined with one or many rows of radiated tentacula, dis- 

 appearing in contraction, and resembling a flower in blossom. 



The Actiniae, which Linnaeus placed among the Mollusca, are fixed by their flat- 

 tened base to marine bodies nearly on a level with the water ; but they possess the 

 faculty of displacing themselves and changing their situation. Their body is oblong, 

 cylindrical, fleshy, and contractile, elongated in the form of a syphon or tube, and 

 shortening in contraction, so as to form in appearance a globular or oval bulb. The 

 superior extremity of the body is flattened and orbicular, and in the centre is the 

 mouth of the animal, with the tentacula placed around in one or many rows. When 

 displayed these tentacula have the appearance of a flower in blossom, and hence the 

 animal has been popularly termed the Sea Anemone. The circular disc formed by 

 the tentacula has so much the more resemblance to the petals of a flower, that they are 

 in general of brilliant colours. The Actiniae feed on the smaller marine animals, 

 which they seize with their tentacula, keep in their stomach for ten or twelve hours, 

 and reject the undigested parts by the mouth. They are multiplied by internal 

 gemmae or ova thrown out by the mouth. Some species of Actinias are eaten in the 

 Levant and Italy. Lamarck places the Actinias among the Ecliinodermata ; but we 

 have followed Cuvier in placing the genus in this class. 



A. rufa, Lam. (A. equina, Lin.) Body semioval, smooth ; cirri 

 pale-coloured. Inhabits European seas. Lam. iii. 67 



A. crassicornis , Lam. (A. felma, Lin.) Body substriated ; cirri 

 thick, conico-elongate. Inhabits European seas Lam. iii. 68. 



A. plumosa, Lam. Tentacula small ; margin of the disc with cir- 

 rated tufts. Inhabits European seas Lam. iii. 68. 



A. senilis, Lam. Body subcylindrical, transversely rugose. Inha- 

 bits seas of Europe Lam. iii. 68. 



A. pedunculala, Pen. Body cylindrical, red, verrucose ; tentacula 

 short, variegated. Inhabits coasts of England Lam. iii. 70. 



A. verrucosa, Lam. Body cylindrical, red, glandular ; mouth ap- 

 pendiculated, with projecting tentacula. Inhabits coasts of Eng- 

 land. Lam. iii. 70. 



Gen. 2. ZOANTHUS, Cuv. Hydra, Gmel. 

 Body fleshy, widened at its upper extremity, with the mouth ter- 

 minal and surrounded by numerous tentacula, as in the preced- 

 ing genus ; but the animals are united in number more or less 

 considerable as a common base, in some forming a stem, in 

 others a broad surface. 



Lamarck places this genus among the Polypi. 



Z. Ellisii, Bosc. (Actinia sociata, Ellis.) Body tubular, pendulous. 

 Lam. ii. 65. 



Gen 3. LTJCERNARIA, Muller. 



Body fixed by a slender pedicle, the upper part dilated like a 

 parasol, with the mouth central, and numerous tentacula in 

 bundles around its margin ; eight organs between the mouth 

 and margin, supposed to be ovaries. 



L. quadricornis, Muller. Body subcampanulate, the margin divid- 

 ed into four forked branches, each bearing clusters of tentacula. 

 Inhabits the Northern ocean, attached to fuel, &c. 



