Actinaria G 121 



of sand and small foraminifera when first caught, but it soon discards these 

 when in an aquarium. 



The following descriptions are from living specimens taken in the Bay of 

 Fundy, in 60 fathoms, on a soft muddy bottom, in 1872. Tentacles 12, rather 

 short, blunt, about half as long as the diameter of the column. Alternately 

 a little longer and shorter. 



Length, in expansion, 25 to 30 mm; diameter, 4-5mm; length in contrac- 

 tion, 10 to 12 mm. 



Column usually cylindric, pale salmon colour, varying to yellowish brown, 

 coated thinly with minute grains of sand and foraminifera, except near the ends. 

 The disk usually protrudes; near the lips there is a circle of small purplish 

 brown spots and another circle of the same colour near the bases of the ten- 

 tacles, the two connected by brown radial lines. These spots are long-oval, 

 their pointed end outward. Each tentacle has a spot of reddish brown on each 

 side of its base, and has about six wavy or crescent shaped transverse spots 

 of reddish or pale brown, alternating with white or flesh-colour. The six 

 alternate shorter tentacles are a little darker than the others, due to the darker 

 brown spots. The brown markings often run down to a point or become 

 V-shaped on the inner side of the bases of the tentacles. 



Column below the tentacles clear salmon-colour, with pale purplish brown 

 double spots alternating with the tentacle "bases. On the shorter dark tentacles 

 the brown transverse markings often run together on the outer side forming 

 a median brown spot. 



One small specimen from the same place has a median line of brown spots 

 on the tentacles interrupted by flake-white spots; lips whitish, surrounded by 

 12 brown spots, midway between the mouth and tentacles, and with another 

 circle of brown spots near the bases of the tentacles. 



Another specimen from the Bay of Fundy, off Head harbour, Grand Manan 

 island, in 50 to 60 fathoms, was 38 mm long, 5 to 6 mm in diameter. Like the 

 preceding, it was covered in the middle with fine sand that it soon entirely cast 

 off, leaving the whole surface clean, smooth and translucent, showing the inser- 

 tions of the mesenteries as white lines bordered with purple; general colour of 

 the column pale salmon. Tentacles salmon-colour, crossed by about five 

 wavy bands of purplish brown; most of these surround the tentacles and run 

 down into a V-shaped or W-shaped mark on the inner surface ; the basal band is 

 darkest. The mouth has 12 white labial lobes; a circle of small purplish spots, 

 alternating with white, surrounds the moiitn; another circle of triangular 

 purplish spots is situated farther out; at the inner bases of the tentacles there 

 is another circle of lighter purplish brown spots. Below the outer bases of the 

 tentacles there is a circle of 12 purple spots, divided by white lines; the 

 alternate spots run down as purplish lines alongside the mesenterial white lines. 



This specimen agrees closely with one figured on Plate XXI, fig. 1. 



This species was dredged by us in many localities in the Bay of Fundy; 

 Eastport harbour; South bay, near Eastport, Maine, 1864-1872, and in Casco 

 bay, 1873. 



It occurred only sparingly, usually only one at a time, in 6 to 90 fathoms, 

 on sand or mud bottoms. 



Variety nitida. New variety. 

 Plate XXI; Figures, 2, 2a. 



Tentacles 10, short, thick, obtuse, usually about half as long as the dia- 

 meter of the disk, or somewhat longer in full expansion. 



The column is cylindrical and has a thin loosely attached coating of fine 

 sand grains on the middle portion; both ends without sand, soft and smooth, 

 translucent, with ten longitudinal white lines, due to the mesenteries; on the 



