22 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[July 13, 18B3. 



SEA ANEMONES 



AT THE FISHEEIKS EXHIBITION. 



A popular accovMt of the principal Sea Anemo7ies in Tank No. 10,* 

 and the Subsidiary Yafes. 



By Thomas Kimber, M.A., Lond. 



THIS exhibition of sea anemones as a whole is probably 

 the largest, if not the most varied, collection tliat 

 has ever been made. Many of the examples here displayed 

 are of extraordinary beauty, much exceeding iti size those 

 usually obtained, while in freshness and depth of colour 

 they could not Ije surpassed, and have rarely been equalled. 

 The very great difficulties invariably attending the setting 

 up of an aquarium appear at length to have been success- 

 fully surmounted, and the tanks, if not yet quite bright, 

 are brightening, and are becoming increasingly attractive 

 and more interesting, and daily drawing larger numbers of 

 visitors to inspect and examine them. That the readers 

 of Knowledue may take an enhanced interest in this very 

 popular department of the Exhibition, it is proposed to 

 give, first, a short introduction, and, afterwards, in separate 

 articles, descriptions of the choicest anemones to Ije seen 

 in the Exhibition, with sufficient details as to outline, 

 colour, and dimensions, that each may he easily recognised, 

 and also to add a few words on their hal)its and the locali- 

 ties in which they are generally found. 



All living beings are endowed with organs or means of 

 providing for nutrition and reproduction which are abso- 

 lutely necessary for their existence and continuance. These 

 are called organic functions, because all organic beings pos- 

 sess them ; they have, too, been called vegetable functions, 

 because in vegetable life these organs alone are found. 



Sensation and motion occur in animal life, and are called 

 animal functions. This restriction of two living functions 

 to plants, and its extension to ymir in animals, draws the 

 line between plants and animals. 



It was for a long period held that many of the lower 

 animals which have a manifest resemblance in external 

 form to plants participated in the functions of both. They 

 were supposed to be plants endowed with animal properties, 

 and were hence called zoophi/ti-s, that is, animal plants. The 

 name is still retained, though now their true place amongst 

 animals is fully accorded to them. From their likeness or 

 fancied resemblance to our most elegantly fringed and 

 radiated flowers, the names anemone, sunflower, carnation, 

 marigold, were respectively applied to several species by 

 Ellis, a London merchant, who has given a very accurate 

 account of these animals as observed by him a hundred 

 years ago. He has been called the father of English 

 Zoophytology. Independently of the above popular appel- 

 lations are the names assigned by naturalists, which are 

 generally derived from Greek or Latin roots, and have 

 reference to the character or structure of the oViject named. 

 Actinia (Gk. aKTti; a ray) is the scientific name of the genus 

 sea anemones. 



To economise space, and to make our descriptions more 

 exact, we premise a few definitions. 



The parts of an anemone — considered as an animal 

 plant — to be described are : — 



1. The root, called the base or foot. 



2. The stem, called the column or body. 



3. The flower, called the disk or face. 



•Another and, perhaps, almost the most attractive branch of 

 the aquaria i.s that which contains the anemone.?, for the linest 

 specimens of which the Committee are indebted to tlie Directors of 

 the Brighton Aquarium, who have given ereiy assistance to ptocure 

 a thorough and handsome collection. — Official Catalo'jue, page 1-18. 



1. The foot (basis), by which the animal adheres to rocks 

 or shells. 



2. The body {columna), may be smooth {hrvis), warty 

 (ver'xcosa), longitudinally furrowed {sulcata), transversely 

 furrowed or insected (insecta), if the intersections are deep 

 or constricted (constricta), if crossed by lines or furrows, 

 i.e., cancellated {cancellata), if rough like the bark of a 

 tree or corrugated {corruijata). The substance may be 

 leathery [coriacfia), fleshy (cornosa), pulpy (jmJposa). Warts 

 on the column are often suckers {acetabula). At its 

 stimmit {i-frte.r) the column is cut ofi" in a transverse direc- 

 tion, and a margin [margo) is formed. In some cases the 

 margin rises and forms a parapet (tichium). Between the 

 margin and the feelers or tentacles (tentacula) there may 

 be a groove or foss {fossa). The margin may be notched 

 {crenata), or formed of tentacles, i.e., tentaculated {tenta- 

 culata). 



3. The disk {fades) is the flat top of the column. It 

 is either plane {plana), wavy {unduhita), lobate or frilled 

 {sinuosa). In the centre of the disk is the mouth {os), with 

 lips {labia). Converging lines on the disk are radii. Two 

 radii, strongly marked, on opposite sides of the mouth are 

 gonidal radii {radii yonidales). From the surface of the 

 disk spring the tentacles or feelers, which are hollow cones, 

 with a root {radix) and a tip {apex). 



Flower {aidfu's) is the term used to describe the anemone 

 when the disk with its tentacles are expanded. 



Button {oucus) is employed to explain that the tentacles 

 and disk are retracted or concealed. 



Sea anemones are the Actinic^ of Baron Cuvier, a genus 

 of the Acalephce (nettles), which again forms his third class 

 of Zoophytes. The internal structure of the anemone has 

 been carefully investigated, to show which we give a 

 vertical section for reference. 



The Dahlh, Actinia coriacea, Cnvier. 



Tegument, septum. 



Foot by which the animal attaches itself. 



Three rows of tentacles. 



Mouth. 



Stomach. 



Longitudinal muscles. 



Point in wiiich they unite. 



Ovaries which open into the stomach. 



Generally anemones can at pleasure either attach them- 

 selves, or creep, or float. The cold weather drives them from 

 the shore to deeper water. On changing their abode, some 

 creep along the Ijottom, some abandon themsehes to the 

 waves, and others, it is stated, turn themselves inside out, 

 and use their feelers as feet. The longitudinal muscles 

 shown in section aliove conduct to the tentacles placed 

 round the creature's mouth, and are believed to be the 

 tendons which move its feelers at the will of the animal. 

 The actini.T are incommoded by a strong light, noise 

 startles them, they are aflected by odours, and fresh water 

 kills them. They may be cut perpendicularly or crosswise, 

 and each cutting will usually live and become a new animal. 



