LECTURE X. US 



spreading in the manner of rays, and disposed in 

 a single, double, or triple series, according to the 

 different species. The Actinias are very common 

 on the rocks of most of the European coasts: when 

 in their contracted state, they have the appear- 

 ance of inanimate, rounded masses of coloured 

 pulp or flesh ; and when expanded, they greatly 

 resemble the appearance of an expanded polype- 

 talous flower, particularly those of the Anemone 

 and Ranunculus tribe. One of the most common 

 British species is the Actinia varia*, found on 

 most of our coasts, and varying ad infinitum in 

 its colours, being either red, olive, green, of differ- 

 ent shades, and either plain or variously spotted : 

 its principal character, and which distinguishes it 

 in whatever variety of general colour it may hap- 

 pen to appear, consists in a row of short bead-like 

 prominences, surrounding the external row of ten- 

 tacula : these bead-like processes are invariably of 

 a bright blue colour. The Actinia varia S. S. in 

 general measures about two inches in diameter at 

 the base, but is occasionally seen of far larger size. 

 A more beautiful species is however found on 



Act. Meserabryantheraum. Ellis. GmeL Syst. Nat. 

 JLECT. II, r 



