Nov. 30, 1883.] 



• KNOWLEDGE . 



329 



of vaporous masses, which corresponds with Laplace's 

 nebular hypothesis as originally advanced, — when as yet 

 our knowledge of the physics of the subject was but in its 

 infancy 1 Again, under what possible conditions and in 

 what periods of time short of infinity, would the vaporous 

 masses strewn around such a ring as that from which 

 Neptune on this theory was f.irmed, have coalesced 

 into a single mass ? 'J'hen, what account does the theory 

 give of the meteoric and cometic matter which, we now 

 know, must have been strewn amid the wliole region in 

 which Laplace set the vaporous embryon of the solar 

 system, in quantity corresponding to no small aliquot por- 

 tion of the mass of the planetary system 1 And lastly, 

 what account does the nebular hypothesis as originally 

 propounded give of the singular distribution of the masses 

 which form the solar system 1 



Seeing that the theory of meteoric aggregation, duly 

 combined with (but not subordinated to) the theory of 

 vapourous condensation, accords not only with all the 

 known facts but gives an account of all those chief pecu- 

 liarities of the solar system with which the nebular hypo- 

 tliesis (alone) is actually inconsistent, it is with thi.'i theory 

 that the characteristics of the zone of minor planets should 

 be compared. I think I shall be able to sliow that, when 

 this is done, instead of discord and difficulty we lind clear 

 and convincing evidence respecting the evolution of the 

 solar system, and also information as to the way in which 

 that process was brought about. 



{To be continued.) 



SEA ANEMONES 



AT THE RECENT FISHEEIES EXHIBITION. 



By Thomas Kimbee. 



IX.— THE DAHLIA. 



{Continued from page 30G.) 



fpHIS is a chapter on gastronomy, showing the best- 

 i_ known methods — unknown probably to Professor 

 Buckmaster and the Kensington School of Cookery — of 

 cooking Crassicornis. The following recipes are taken 

 verbatim, with the kind permission of the author, from 

 "A Naturalist's Rambles on the Devonshire Coast," by 

 P. H. Gosse, F.R.S. The testimony of Abbe Dicquemare, 

 referred to liy Mr. Gosse, of the excellency of boiled 

 Crassicornis we gave in our last communication on page 

 306. 



" And now for a paragraph on cookery. 



" Dicquemare's testimony to the excellence of actinia 

 crassicornis for the table tempted me to taste it, and I 

 determined to take an early opportunity of cooking a few. 

 In a few minutes I collected some half-a-dozen of different 

 sizes at low water near Wildersiiiouth, and having rubbed 

 them with my fingers in a tidepool till the coating of 

 gravel was pretty well got rid of, brought them home. I 

 put them into a pan of sea-water for the night to cleanse 

 tlicm, and most beautiful and gorg(;ous was the appearance 

 they presented when expanded — no two alike in colours, 

 and y(!t all so lovely that it was difticult to say which ex- 

 celled. I'erhaps one with the tentacles partly cream-colour 

 and partly white was as beautiful as any. 



" The next morning, however, I began operations. As it 

 was an experiment, I did not choose to commit my pet 

 morsels to the servants, but took the saucepan into my own 

 hand. As I had no information as to how long they 

 required boiling, 1 had to find it out for myself. Some 1 



put into the water (.sea-water) cold, and allowed to boil 

 gradually. As soon as the water boiled, I tried one ; it 

 was tough — evidently undone. The next I took out after 

 three minutes' boiling. This was better ; and one at five 

 minutes was better still, but not so good as one which had 

 boiled ten. I then put the remaining ones into the boiling 

 water, and let them remain over the fire boiling fast for 

 ten minutes, and these were best of all, being more tender, 

 as well as being of a more inviting appearance. 



" I must confess that the first bit I essayed caused a sort 

 of lumpy feeling in my throat, as if a sentinel there 

 guarded the way, and said, ' It shan't come here.' This 

 sensation, however, I felt to be unworthy of a philosopher, 

 for there was nothing really repugnant in the taste. As 

 soon as I had got one that seemed well cooked, I in\ ited 

 Mrs. G. to share the feast. She courageously attacked the 

 morsel, but I am compelled to confess it would not pass the 

 vestibule — the sentinel was too many for her. My little 

 boy, however, voted that ' tinny was good,' and that ' he 

 liked tinny,' and loudly demanded more, like another 

 Oliver Twist. As for me, I proved the truth of the adage, 

 Ce n'est que le premier pas qui cottte ; for my sentinel was 

 cowed after the first defeat. I left little in the dish. 



" In truth, the flavour and taste are agreeable — somewhat 

 like those of the soft parts of crab. I ate them hot, with 

 the usual crab-condiments of salt, pepper, mustard, and 

 vinegar, mixed into a sauce. The internal parts, including 

 the ovaries and the tentacles, though, from their mottled 

 appearance, rather repelling to the eye, were the most 

 agreeable in taste ; the integuments somewhat reminded 

 me of the jelly-like skin of a calf's head. I wonder they 

 are not commonly brought to table, for they are easily 

 procured, and are certainly far superior to cockles, per- 

 winkles, and mussels. After a very little use, I am per- 

 suaded anyone would get very fond of boiled Actinias. 



" Some I had left, with a little gravel still adhering, in 

 order to see whether this would be thrown off when life 

 departed ; but it was not so. They should be cleansed 

 before cooking, which can be easily and quickly done with 

 the fingers under water ; the base also should be scraped, 

 so as to remove any bits of slate, or rock, or dirt that 

 adhere to it. Attention to these particulars greatly im- 

 proves the appearance when cooked. They are of a 

 pellucid rosy hue, of a firm consistence ; at least suffi- 

 ciently firm to be readily cut with a knife. 



" The next that I tried were prepared in a different 

 manner, and, truth to say, the experiment was far more 

 successful this time. I cleansed them more perfectly, 

 carefully scraping the bases until they were freed from 

 every particle of extraneous matter and from slime. These 

 I had fried in egg and bread-crumbs, and they were far 

 superior to even the best on the former occasion. 



" All prejudice yielded to their inviting odour and appear- 

 ance, and the whole table joined in the repast with indubi- 

 table gusto. I know not if my readers are familiar with a 

 dish which in Newfoundland during the cod- fishing seasoji 

 we used to consider worthy of an epicure —the tongues of 

 the cod taken out as soon as the fish are brought on shore, 

 and fried immediately. The Actiniie fried, as abovt; 

 described, I should scarcely be able to distinguish, either 

 by the eye or by the taste, from fresh cod's tongues, 

 except, perhaps, that my jtrotigis are slightly firmer in 

 consistence. 



" Aiithea cereus I subsequently tried prepared in the 

 manner last mentioned. They, too, were savoury ; but 

 the sliminess of their tentacles was somewhat disagreeaV>le. 

 They are far less substantial, in proportion to their ap- 

 parent size, than the Actini;e — little, indeed, remaining, 

 but a mass of tentacles. When Johnston speaks of the 



