270 ZOOPHYTES. 



experiencing, doubtless, a sens of enjoyment, 

 when, in their rapacity, they devour their prey. 

 The Actiniae all grow singly, but the allied family 

 of Zoanthus, consists of a number of small animal 

 flowers, seated upon one fleshy base, and connected 

 together by it. 



The bodies of our British sea anemones are, in 

 some, of a deep scarlet tint; in others, of green 

 hue, like the young spring leaf; or of dull olive 

 green, or of the pale hue of the green sea. Some 

 are liver-coloured or of dark claret, or of all shades 

 of red or buff; and for whiteness, some of them 

 rival the snow itself. One of the commonest 

 species is the Fig Marigold Sea Anemone (Actinia 

 mesembryanthemum), which may be found on almost 

 any of the shores of our island, where clustering 

 rocks or stones can afford it a habitation. The 

 older French writers called it La plus petite des 

 orties de mer ; and a nettle it is in its stinging 

 powers, but they are not so pungent as in some 

 other species, though some writers still call it the 

 small red sea-nettle. Its body is, when fully 

 grown, about an inch or an inch and a half in dia- 

 meter, forming a half globe in shape. It is of dull 

 liver colour or olive green, sometimes marked with 

 blue and greenish lines. The base which surrounds 

 the hemisphere like a ruffle, has sometimes, though 

 not always, a bright blue rim around its edge, 

 and it is occasionally streaked with red. The 

 arms are long, and usually of the same colour as 

 the body, but paler and clearer in tint. Around 

 the central aperture, and just within its margin, 

 are twenty-five little blue tubercles, which resemble 

 so' many turquoise beads. This species expands 

 only when covered with water. 



