48 A. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM. 



mark but will be found to encompass a certain num- 

 ber of these curious creatures, while some rocky 

 excavations of moderate size will at times contain as 

 many as fifty. Should the tide be far advanced, 

 the young zoologist need not despair of success, for, 

 by carefully examining the under part of the 

 boulders totally uncovered by the sea, he will 

 frequently find specimens of the smooth anemone, 

 contracted and hanging listlessly from the surface 

 of the stone, like masses of green, marone, or crimson 



The Actiniae, and especially examples of the above 

 mentioned species, are extremely hardy and tenacious 

 of life, as the following interesting narrative will 

 prove. 



The late Sir John Dalyell writing in 1851, says, 

 ' I took a specimen of A . mesembryanthemum (smooth 

 anemone) in August 3828, at North Berwick, where 

 the species is very abundant among the crevices of 

 the rocks, and in the pools remaining still replenished 

 after the recess of the tide. It was originally very 

 fine, though not of the largest size, and I computed 

 from comparison with those bred in my possession, 

 that it must have been then at least seven years old/ 



Through the kindness of Dr. M'Bain, E.N., the 

 writer has been permitted to enjoy the extreme 

 pleasure of inspecting the venerable zoophyte above 

 alluded to, which cannot now be much under thirty- 

 eight years of age ! 



