132 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



before. I tried another Antliea and a Daisy (Actinia bellis), 

 but with tlie same result. In each case the crab was clutclied, 

 but in each case he got away unhurt. I then chose another 

 crab, not more than lialf the size of the former, and certainly 

 no match in point of strength for the Anemone, yet after 

 being embraced and carried to the mouth, I obsei-ved the crab 

 slowly appear from the unfolding tentacles, and scuttle away 

 with great activity. 



This experiment casts a doubt on what is asserted by all 

 writers, namely that Anemones feed on crabs. Rymer Jones 

 records that " they will devour a crab as large as a hen's 

 egg." Has any one ever seen a live crab caught and eaten 

 by an Anemone ? I confess never to have seen it, and the 

 experiment just related disposes me to doubt : although it 

 is quite possible that my Anemones were dainty, because not 

 hungry, and refused food which, under less epicurean condi- 

 tions, would have been welcome. If any one has seen the 

 Anemone feeding on live crabs, that is enough. Meanwhile 

 I think it right to propound the doubt, and to add to it this 

 subsequent observation : I took a tiny Crustacean, of the 

 shrimp family, about half an inch in length, and dropped it 

 in a vase containing some Daisies. It soon touched the 

 tentacles of one of these, was drawn in, l)ut almost imme- 

 diately escaped. It then swam about until it touched the 

 largest Daisy, and was quickly engulfed. As it had en- 

 tii-ely disappeared, I expected it would be certainly killed if 

 not eaten, but in a few moments it made its way out unhurt, 

 and swam away. These Daisies had not been fed for at least 

 a fortnight ; they had subsisted entirely on the invisible ali- 



