CARNOSI. 485 



ORDER I. 



CARNOSI. 



THE first order comprises fleshy animals that usually fix themselves by 

 their base, several of which, have the power of crawling 

 on that base, or even of detaching it altogether, and 

 swimming or suffering themselves to be carried away 

 by the current. Most commonly, however, they merely 

 expand the oral aperture, which is also the anus. It is 

 surrounded with a greater or less number of tentacula, 

 and opens into a stomach or cul-de-sac. Between this 

 internal sac and the external skin we find a tolerably complex, but still 

 obscure organisation, chiefly consisting of fibrous and vertical leaflets, to 

 which the ovaries, that resemble tangled threads, are attached. The intervals 

 of these leaflets communicate with the interior of the tentacula, and it appears 

 that water penetrates into and issues from them by small orifices in the 

 circumference of the mouth ; the Actiniae, at least, sometimes ejaculate it in 

 this manner *. 



ACTINIA, Linnaeus. 



The fleshy body of these Polypi is frequently ornamented with bright 

 colours, and exhibits numerous tentacula placed round the mouth in several 

 ranges, like the petals of a double flower, and hence their common name of 

 Sea-Anemonies. They are extremely sensible to the influence of light, and 

 expand or close in proportion to the fineness of the day. When they retract 

 their tentacula, the opening through which those organs pass contracts and 

 closes over them like the mouth of a purse. 



Their power of reproduction is scarcely inferior to that of the Hydrse ; parts 

 that have been amputated shoot out again, and the animal may be multiplied 

 by division. Their usual mode of generation is viviparous. The little Actinae 

 pass from the ovary into the stomach and issue from the mouth. These 

 Zoophytes, when hungry, dilate their mouth to a great extent. They devour 

 all sorts of animals, especially Crustacea, shell-fish, and small fishes, which 

 they capture with their tentacula and soon digest. 



The DISCOSOMA, Rupp., are Actinae in which the tentacula are almost 

 reduced to nothing by their shortness. 



ZOANTHUS, Cuvier. 



The same fleshy tissue and arrangement of the mouth and tentacula as in 

 the Actinae, and a nearly similar organisation ; but these animals are united 



were formerly considered as stony plants. Imperati (1699) was the first who doubted 

 their vegetable nature, and Tre'mbley's observations on the Hydra (1740) put the question 

 at rest. Since that period, our knowledge of them has been considerably increased by the 

 labours of Ellis, Boccone, Cavolini, Lamouroux, &c. &c. Ed, 



* See Spix., Ann. du Mus., XIII., xxxiii., f. 1 5. 



