172 ACTINIAD.E. 



an orifice, which opens and dilates occasionally, some 

 time after the animal has fed." * This fact, however, if 

 fact it be, is confirmed by no other observer that I am 

 aware of. 



The integuments of the column seem to be imperforate : 

 this is certainly the case in the genus Actinia; and in 

 Phymactis, though the evidence is of a negative character, 

 there is no reason to believe that it is otherwise. The 

 character of the surface varies according to two very dis- 

 tinct types. In Actinia it is remarkably smooth, soft, and 

 fine ; in Phymactis it is roughened with strong and coarse 

 warts. These diversities manifest the osculant position 

 of the group ; for while the former genus . shows a close 

 affinity with the Antheadw, the latter takes no less firm 

 a hold upon the Bunodidai. It is interesting to find an 

 exotic species (the A. primula of Drayton f) with marginal 

 spherules and a smooth skin, which emits long filaments 

 from the mouth. Here, then, we have the ■ representative 

 of the Sagartiados. 



As regards Geographical Distribution, the Family is 

 extensively spread ; the two principal genera representing 

 it respectively in the northern and southern hemispheres. 

 Actinia ranges from the Red Sea, through the Mediter- 

 ranean, over the western coasts of Europe, and the isles of 

 the North Atlantic. Phymactis is widely distributed over 

 the shores of both sides of the South Pacific, and of the 

 South Atlantic, reaching a little way north of the Equator, 

 being represented by no less than three species at the Cape 

 de Verd Isles, where, it is curious to observe, it meets 



• Rare Anim. of ScotL ; 203. 



+ Dana, Zooph. 134 : pi. ii. figs. 12 — 15. At least it is thus represented 

 in one of Mr. Dana's beautiful figures, though no allusion is made to the 

 peculiarity in the text. M. Milne- Edwards has made of it his genus 

 Nemactis, but with a wholly gratuitous assumption of characters. 



