THE BEADLET. 177 



hue exists alone, by a separation of its constituent elements, blue and 

 yellow. We may distinguish the following varieties : — 



a. Hepatica. The liver-brown condition above described, which is the 

 most common (fig. 2). 



* Approaching the red. 



0. Rubra. Column dark crimson ; disk and tentacles as before. In 

 youth this and the following variety are of a pellucid light crimson 

 (fig- 5)- 



y. Chiococca. Column rich scarlet; basal line flesh-colour or non- 

 apparent ; disk and tentacles full crimson ; spherules pure white (fig. 7, 

 labelled A. chiococca). The A. ForsJcalli of the Red Sea, the A. ceratum, 

 of the Scottish Coast, the A. chiococca of St. Ives and other parts of Corn- 

 wall, must be considered as belonging to this variety ; nor can I separate 

 from it the A. tabella of the Cape Verd Isles, except that this approaches 

 the var. p. 



** Approaching the green. 



5. Uvibrina. Column, disk, and tentacles, a yellowish umber-brown ; 

 spherules (as in all the following) azure; basal line (as in all of thiB 

 section) blue (fig. 3). 



«. Ochracea. Column, disk, and tentacles orange-buff. 



£. Olivacea. Dark olive. 



7], Glauca. Pellucid bluish green ; tentacles pale greenish blue (fig. 1). 



B. Prasina. Fine leek-green ; tentacles the same, pellucid. 

 *** Colours interrupted. 



l Opora. Leek-green, with longitudinal broken lines of light green or 

 pure yellow ; spherules and basal line blue (fig. 4). 



k. Tigrina. Red, streaked with yellow (Tcgwkll). 



A. Fragacea. Liver-coloured, or dark red, studded with numerous spots 

 of light green ; no basal line. Attains a very large size (fig. 6). 



The most marked of the above varieties is undoubtedly 

 the last, — the Strawberry, as it is familiarly named. Its 

 constancy of colour and pattern, its tendency to an ovate 

 form, and its great size, distinguish it from its fellows ; 

 and yet I cannot, after much consideration of the subject, 

 in the presence of the animals themselves, convince myself 

 that it is entitled to specific distinction. I have found 

 specimens in which the spots were small and crowded, 

 others in which they were large and scattered, others in 

 which they were small and scattered ; sometimes the 

 spots are portions of lines irregularly interrupted, and not 

 seldom considerable regions of the surface are quite des- 



n 



