VOL. LXV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. " 63Q 



by the bases, several limbs appeared, which seemed to belong to a 3d animal, 

 incorporated in the 2 that were more apparent. The sequel will show, that this 

 is not the only peculiarity observed in this species, which by its manner of 

 propagating seems particularly calculated for producing monsters. The anemo- 

 nies of this kind are commonly found adhering to the convex shells of oysters : 

 they abound in the road of Havre-de-Grace, so that I had no difficulty in pro- 

 curing whatever number*! chose. A viscose matter, like that which is seen on 

 fish newly caught, issues from them. I have opened 2 or 3 hundred of a large 

 size, but I never found in any of them either whole or parts of animals ; and 

 yet as often as I offered them a piece of oyster or muscle, they would swallow it. 

 The large anemonies of this species are generally surrounded by a multitude of 

 small and middle-sized ones, which form very pleasing groups, see fig. Q, pi. 12. 

 The bases of some of these small anemonies were not perfectly round, and in 

 others they mutually adhered to each other : and when tlie basis between two 

 connected anemonies were slightly touched with a pointed instrument, they both 

 contracted at the same time. This common basis distended itself gradually near 

 the middle, where it assumed the appearance of a net, which at length bursting, 

 left every small anemony to live by itself. There issues out of the body of the 

 anemonies of this species, through little pores, and also out of their mouths, a 

 considerable number of round, soft, limber threads, of the thickness of a horse- 

 hair, and of the colour of the animal. On viewing them through a lens, I 

 observed a great resemblance between them and the spermatic vessels of men, 

 when stripped of their outward sheath. Through a common microscope I saw 

 fibres in them which crossed each other in every direction : and by means of a 

 solar microscope, which magnified them to a diameter of 5 inches, they ap- 

 peared of a very close texture, which, when decomposed, seemed to consist of 

 an infinite number of vessels, crossing each other in almost every direction ; but 

 farthest extended lengthwise. A liquor seemed to circulate in the largest of 

 these vessels, which, where they meet, form kinds of ganglions like the optic 

 nerves in man. Such an organization cannot surely but be intended for valuable 

 purposes. Is it not probable that these threads contain certain knots, bulbs, 

 knobs, or buds, which open in time, and cleaving to the bodies on which those 

 threads are extended, produce small anemonies, which at first communicate with 

 each other, but afterwards separate by a contraction, as I have indeed observed 

 in some of them. This I concluded from never having found any young ones 

 in the great number of anemonies I have opened ; and yet I have seen prodigious 

 quantities, of a very small size, adhering to oyster shells. But, from a series 

 of observations, I have learnt, among other singularities, that these animals 

 having their bases irregularly distended, and their extremities closely adhering to 

 some hard body, commonly an oyster shell, by suddenly shrinking, they leave 



