ACTIKIAEIA. 189 



body, of a fine brownish or olive green, and rose-coloured at the extremity. 

 The trunk is of a greyish green or brown ; the disk is brown with 

 greenish rays. This species is plentiful in the Mediterranean and 

 in the Channel. When attached to the vertical sides of a rock, a 

 little below the surface of the water, in which position it is often seen 

 on the shores of the Mediterranean, the tentacles hang suspended as if 

 the animal had no power to display them in their radiate form ; but 

 when fixed horizontally in a calm sea, they are spread out in all direc- 

 tions, and are kept in a state of continual agitation ; its long, mane- 

 like tentacula, fully expanded, float and balance themselves in the 

 water in spite of the action of the waves, presenting a most interesting 

 spectacle as it displays its beauties a few feet below the passing boat. 



A. dianthus (Ellis), having a number of synonymes, is represented 

 in PL. Y. Fig. 1 ; its body is smooth and cylindrical ; the disk marked 

 in the centre with clavate radiating bands; tentacula numerous, 

 irregular, the outer small, and forming round the margin a thick 

 filamentous fringe. This species attaches itself to rocks and shells 

 in deep water, or within low-water mark, to which it permanently 

 attaches itself, and cannot be removed without organic injury to the 

 base. When contracted, the body presents a thick, short, sub-cylin- 

 drical form, about three inches long, and one and a half in diameter, 

 and about five inches when fully expanded ; the skin is smooth, of an 

 uniform olive,. whitish, cream, or flesh colour. The centre of the disk 

 is ornamented with a circle of white bands, radiating from the mouth, 

 the lamellae running across, the circumference being perceptible 

 through the transparent skin. From the narrow, colourless inter- 

 spaces between the lamellae the tentacula originate. "They are 

 placed," says Dr. Johnston, "between the mouth and the margin, 

 which is encircled by a dense fringe of incontestable beauty, composed 

 of innumerable short tentacula or filaments, forming a thick, furry 

 border." In PL. Y. Fig. 2, we have probably Gaertner's AntTiea cereus, 

 the body of which is a light chestnut colour, smooth, sulcated length- 

 wise, with tentacula rising from the disk to the number, in aged 

 animals, of two hundred. Sagartia viduata Grosse (Fig. 4) has the 

 body adherent, cylindrical, without a skin, destitute of warts, emitting 

 capsuliferous filaments from pores; nettling-threads short, densely 

 armed with a brush of hairs ; tentacles conical. A. picta (?L. IY. 

 Fig. 6), which Professor Edward Forbes changes to Adamsia palliata, 



