190 THE OCEAN WORLD. 



is described by Mr. Adams, who first discovered it, "as longitudi- 

 nally sulcated, having the edges of the base crenated ; the lower part 

 an obscure red, and the upper part transparent white, marked with 

 fine purple spots ; the outer circumference of the aperture has a 

 narrow stripe of pink. When expanded, the superior division of 

 the body seems formed of membrane. From perforated warts placed 

 without order on the outer coat, issued white filamentous substances 

 variously twisted together. I have observed," he adds, "similar 

 bodies ejected from the mouths of all the species of this genus which 

 have fallen within my notice." 



A. mesembryanthemum (Johnston). The A. equina of Lesson 

 (PL. IY. Fig. 6), known in France as the Cul d'ane, is extremely common 

 in the Channel on rocks between the tide marks. It attaches itself 

 chiefly to rocks beaten by the waves and exposed to view at the moment 

 of reflux. The body is from two to three inches in height, and from an 

 inch to an inch and a half in diameter ; hemispherical when contracted, 

 it resembles a bell perforated at the summit, dilated into a cylinder. 

 When fully extended the tentacula are nearly equal to the height of the 

 body, of a uniform liver colour, or olive green, and sometimes streaked 

 with blue, having a greenish line either continuous or in spots, the base 

 generally of a greenish colour encircled with an azure blue line, often 

 streaked with red. The tentacula are terminated by a small pore. Its 

 colour is variable, but generally it is of a violet-red. Sometimes it 

 preserits round spots of a fine green ; at other times it is only of a 

 greenish hue ; the edge of the feet have a narrow border of red, with 

 green and blue beneath. 



Metridium dianthus has a' thick body with russet grey skin, the 

 disk strongly lobed, thin and transparent round the mouth; the 

 tentacula very numerous, very short, and occupying a broad, strong 

 zone upon the disk. The mesial lines are whitish and wide apart ; 

 externally they are closer, papiliform, and brown. This species is 

 found on stones and shells in the North Sea and in the Channel. 



The verrucous, or warty section of the Actiniadte, have the lateral 

 walls of the body covered with agglutinated tubercles, and well- 

 developed feet. To this section belong the Coriaceous Cereus, Actinia 

 crassicornis (Johnston), and A. senilis (Hollar d and Dicquemare), which 

 seem to vary in habit. Hollard describes them as frequently buried 



