POLYPI. CARNOSI. 401 



ORDER I. CARNOSI.* 



THE animals of this division are often exceedingly 

 beautiful, representing the large blossoms of com- 

 pound flowers, gorgeously coloured. Many of them 

 have been named after such flowers as the Anemone, 

 Marigold, Aster, Cereus, Carnation, &c. They are 

 usually attached to rocks by a broad base, on which 

 they can slowly crawl, in the manner of a Slug. In 

 general, their breadth is greater than their height, 

 when closed, at which time they look like a semiglo- 

 bular or bell-shaped mass of firm flesh, with a slight 

 depression or closed orifice in the centre. Beneath the 

 water, if undisturbed, this orifice enlarges by turning 

 inside out, and displays a vast number of short tenta- 

 cles, radiating around its margin, like the rays of a 

 daisy. These tentacles adhere with some pertinacity 

 to the hand when touched, and often leave a slight 

 tingling or stinging sensation in the skin: they are 

 the natural instruments of seizing prey, which con- 

 sists of Mollusca and Crustacea of considerable size : 

 no sooner does one of these animals touch a tentacle, 

 than it is instantly arrested, and drawn in to the 

 central mouth; where although as large as the as- 

 sailant itself, it is by the enormous distension of 

 the mouth sucked into the cavity of the body, and 



* Carnosus, fleshy. 



