52 The Under-Water World 



its mouth in the form of long, white 

 stinging threads, and these paralyse any 

 small creature they come into contact 

 with. The anemone shares all the crab's 

 meals, bending down when the latter is 

 feeding, and collecting any fragments 

 that may fall from the hermit's table. 

 One anemone Discosoma of the coral 

 reefs of Eastern Asia, grows to two feet 

 in diameter, and is the host of a small 

 fish Amphiprion that takes shelter in 

 its gastric cavity. The fish is coloured 

 so as to harmonise with the anemone, 

 and doubtless shares in the meals of the 

 invertebrate besides enjoying its pro- 

 tection. 



The soft or flexible corals may assume 

 graceful branching growths, or dense 

 fleshy masses that glow brilliantly when 

 the numerous pink, red or orange polyps 

 are fully expanded. 



The mass known as Dead Man's Fin- 

 gers (Alcyonium) is a common form. 



