146 LECTURE X. 



our own coasts -, generally imbedding itself in the 

 sand, instead of adhering to rocks ; it is called the 

 Actinia crassicornis, and is distinguished by its red 

 colour, and roughish external surface, while the 

 central or middle part, when expanded, is white, 

 most elegantly marked near the base of the tenta- 

 cula with numerous carmine-coloured streaks : the 

 tentacula themselves being of a pearl-colour, and 

 of a much thicker gr more swelled appearance 

 than in most other species. The Actinia crassi- 

 cornis often measures four, five, or even six inches 

 in diameter when in its expanded state. 



The Actiniae; or Sea-Anemonies are naturally 

 very voracious animals, preying not only on the 

 softer sea-animals, but on such as are guarded by 

 a shelly defence; they swallow various kinds of 

 univalve shell-fish, the smaller kind of crabs, and 

 other animals, and when they have absorbed the 

 juices of their prey, they reject the shell or other 

 integument by the mouth. When kept in vessels 

 jof sea-water, which may be easily practised, they 

 seem to require no particular nutriment, absorb- 

 ing a sufficient quantity of animal gluten from the 

 sea-water itself for all the purposes of nutrition. 

 In this confined state they do not grow or increase 



