172 SEA ANEMONIES, ETC. 



THE HOLOTHURIA PHYSALIS, 



Called by the sailors the Portuguese Man of War, re- 

 sembles an oblong transparent bladder, several inches 

 long, and sharp at one end; its colour is a pale purple, 

 with deeper veins ; along the back runs an elevated ridge, 

 and from beneath the thick end of the body hang nume- 

 rous deep hostile feelers, of various lengths, while the 

 under edges of the body are surrounded with short 

 processes of a deep purplish-brown colour. 



The anatomy of these animals is imperfectly known, 

 but, if handled, they inflame the hand considerably. 



THE SEA ANEMONIES 



Are very voracious, and absorb even shelly animals ; those 

 parts which they cannot digest, they reject through the 

 same orifice. They are viviparous; several young are 

 produced at a time, of a small size, and varying in pro- 

 portion to the size of the parent. The Actiniae, like the 

 Polypi, can re-produce the organs of which they have been 

 deprived. 



THE STAR FISH 



Is remarkable ; its character consists in having a flattened 

 body covered with a tough skin, roughened by a multitude 

 of small, and rather hard processes. It is generally of a 

 radiated form, consisting of several limbs, placed round a 

 centre, beneath which is the mouth. In different species 

 the rays vary in number from five to twelve ; they are 

 mostly broad at the base, and tapering towards the end ; 

 but some are quite narrow, and others branched. The 

 most curious species are foreign ; many of the simple 

 abound in the European seas. 



