132 THE SEA-SIDE AND AQUARIUM. 



burning or smarting. This peculiarity did not escape 

 the notice of Pliny, who says, " It is just like that 

 produced by the nettle found on land." The classical 

 naturalist rather exaggerates the effect. At least, in 

 any that I have experimented upon, the urticating 

 power has been much less severe. 



Miss Pratt mentions that the poison is not equal 

 in all the species. In some, she says, " it is sufficient 

 to cause only a slight sensation of tingling in the 

 fingers which have touched the Anemone; in others 

 the sensation is more of a smarting or burning 

 nature." But what is very curious, this author men- 

 tions that different persons are variously affected by 

 the touching of the same individual, and gives an in- 

 stance which occurred under her own observation. 

 Miss Pratt "had placed in a vessel of sea water a fine 

 specimen of the Fig-marigold Sea-anemone (a Mesem- 

 bri/anthemum), which she was accustomed to touch 

 many times during the day. Her surprise was great 

 on finding that the same Anemone, on being touched 

 by another person, communicated a more powerful 

 sensation, which her friend assured her, was felt up 

 the whole of the arm. More than twenty persons 

 touched this Anemone, and the writer was amused 

 by observing how variously they were affected ; some 

 being only slightly tingled, while others started back 

 as if stung by a nettle." 



Ckacim a son gout; but certainly, although I ad- 

 mire exceedingly the pretty Anemones, I should not 

 care much to eat one. Indeed, when seeing them 



