DISPROOF OF URTICATING POWER. 149 



But I waive the argument derived from such a source, 

 and, confining myself to the Anemones, ask the reader what 

 he thinks of this awkward fact, namely, that these urticating 

 capsules are most abundant in parts which do not urticate ? 

 Only the tentacles have this power, and although they have 

 numerous capsules, the urtication cannot well be attributed 

 to them, since these capsules are more abundant in the "con- 

 voluted bands," in the lining wall of the stomach, and in 

 the blue spots which surround the oral disc in the Smooth 

 Anemone — these spots, indeed, being made up of such 

 capsules and small granules — yet in not one of these parts 

 can the slightest urtication be traced ! How is this ? If 

 these capsules are the nettling organs, why do they not 

 nettle in those parts where they are most abundant ? No one 

 has thought of asking this question. 



It thus appears that many animals having the capsules, 

 have none of the power attributed to the capsules ; and that 

 even in those animals which have the power, it is only 

 present in the tentacles, where the capsules are much less 

 abundant than in parts not manifesting the power : the con- 

 clusion, therefore, presses on us that the power does not 

 depend upon these capsules. 



And this conclusion is strengthened every step we take. 

 Thus the Anthea is of all Anemones the most powerfidly 

 urticating ; yet, if we compare its capsules with those of 

 other Anemones, we find them greatly inferior in quantity to 

 those of the Daisy and Dianthus, and much inferior in size to 

 those of Crassicornis, as well as less easily made to uncoil their 

 threads. It has not been remarked, that whereas according 



