20 SAGARTIAD^E. 



perfect though minute Anemones. Occasionally a separated 

 piece, more irregularly jagged than usual, will, in contract- 

 ing, constringe itself, and form two smaller fragments, 

 united by an isthmus, which goes on attenuating until 

 a fine thread-like line only is stretched from one to the 

 other ; this at length yields, the substance of the broken 

 thread is rapidly absorbed into the respective pieces, which 

 'soon become two young dianthuses. 



It is to this tendency to spontaneous division that I 

 would attribute the frequent occurrence in this species of 

 monstrosity, such as two disks uniting into a single column. 

 This is very common. Dr. Johnston supposes that such 

 cases are produced by the coalescence of two individuals 

 which happened to be in contact, and he accounts for its 

 frequency by the gregarious habit of the species.* The 

 possibility of two individuals thus uniting, remains, how- 

 ever, to be proved ; while the fissiparous habit, which is 

 patent, is quite sufficient to produce the phenomenon. 



I have been informed of a case, in which a young one 

 was produced by gemmation from the base of the adult, 

 without previous separation of the fragment. 



When erect, and fully distended with water, the integu- 

 ments and tissues become translucent, and, in parts, even 

 transparent. In this condition, when favourably placed, — 

 as when in front of a window, or with a candle just behind 

 it, — an excellent opportunity is afforded of examining the 

 internal arrangement of the organs, free from the confusion 

 which the excessive contraction consequent upon dissection 

 induces. The septa are seen stretching away into the general 

 cavity, and the acontia lying in many coils along the inter- 

 septs ; while ever and anon a minute coiled fragment, torn 

 from some acontium, is seen driven to and fro along the 



* Br. Zooph. 2nd Ed., 233. 



