POLYPI. 91 



The cylindrical body is formed of a thick skin of which the 

 innermost layer consists of longitudinal and transverse muscles. 

 The tentacles are hollow. The stomach is a folded blind sac. The 

 space between the stomach and the skin is divided by numerous 

 partitions j the ovaries, whose efferent canals open into the base of 

 the stomach, lie in the chambers thus formed 1 . 



Actinice are marine animals; they occur in the temperate and 

 torrid zones. Some species are brought to market by the Italians 

 and are eaten. 



A. With lateral pores (Cribrina HEMPR. and EHRENB.) 



Sp. Actinia e/ceta L., EASTER 1. Tab. xiv. fig. 3, KAPP, 1. 1. Tab, n. fig. 2. 

 Actinia coriacea Cuv., Actinia senilis L., BASTEB 1. Tab. xm. fig. i. KAPP, 

 1. 1. Tab. i. fig. 3, 4, LESSON Ittustr. de Zoologie, PI. LIV. 



B. Without lateral pores (Actinia EHRENB.) 



Sp. Actinia viridis GMEL., Priapus viridis FORSK. Icon. Rer. natural. Tab. 

 xxvii. fig. B, b, Actinia Cereus KAPP, 1. 1. Tab. n. fig. 3; this species is 

 eaten in the south of France, and is known by the name Ortie or Ortigue; 

 Actinia tapetum HEMPR. and EHRENB. with short and numerous tentacula; 

 this species in the contracted state occasioned the establishment of a new 

 genus, supposed to be distinguished by the absence of tentacles : Discosoma 

 KUEPPEL and LEUCK., Neue wirbettose Thiere des rothen Meeres, Frankf. a. 

 Main. 1828, Tab. I. fig. I. 3 



Actinodendron QuoY and GAIMARD. Tentacles ramose (or 

 provided with vesicles lateral, fasciculate, EHRENB.) 



Thalassianthus RuEPP. and LEUCK., Epicladia EHRENB. Ten- 

 tacles pectinate. 



Minyas Cuv. Actinecta LESS. Body free, globose, ribbed. 

 Mouth surrounded by tentacles in many rows, which are sometimes 

 lobate. Disc opposite the mouth supplied with aeriferous canals, 

 serving to suspend the animal in water. 



1 Besides the works of BERTHOLD and KAPP referred to, that of KYMER JONES, 

 General Outline of the Animal Kingdom and Manual of Comparative Anatomy, London, 

 1841. pp. 39 44, also contains a detailed anatomy of Actinia. 



2 Comp. also the descriptions of several Mediterranean species of Actinia given by 

 A. F. GRUBE, Actinien, Eckinodermen und Wilrmer des Adriatiscken und Mittelmeers, 

 Kbnigsberg, 1840, 4 to. ; amongst the new species is one remarkable for its change of 

 colour, Act. C/iamceleon GRUBE. 



