208 THE OCEAN WORLD. 



left it to perish of hunger, became, in the sea anemone, the source of 

 redoubled gastronomical enjoyment. 



" The anemones," Fredol tells us, " are voracious, and full of 

 energy ; nothing escapes their gluttony ; every creature which 

 approaches them is seized, engulfed, and devoured. Nevertheless, 

 with all the power of their mouth, their insatiable stomachs cannot 

 retain the prey they have swallowed. In certain circumstances it 

 contrives to escape, in others it is adroitly snatched away by, some 

 neighbouring marauder more cunning and more active than the' 

 anemone. 



" It is sometimes observed in aquariums that a shrimp, which has 

 seen the prey devoured from a distance, will throw itself upon the 

 ravisher, and audaciously wrest the prey from him and devour it 

 before his eyes, to his great disappointment. Even when the savoury 

 morsel has been swallowed, the shrimp, by great exertions, succeeds 

 in extracting it from the anemone's stomach. Seating itself upon the 

 extended disc of the anemone, with its small feet it prevents the 

 approach of the tentacles, at the same time that it inserts its claws 

 into the digestive cavity and seizes the food. In vain the anemone 

 tries to contract its gills and close its mouth. Sometimes the conflict 

 between the sedentary zoophyte and the vagrant crustacean becomes 

 serious. When the former is strong and robust, the aggression is 

 repelled, and the shrimp runs the risk of supplementing the repast 

 of the anemone." 



If the actinias are voracious, they can also support a prolonged 

 period of fasting. They have been known to live two and even 

 three years without having received any nourishment."* 



Although the sea anemone is said to be delicate eating, man 

 derives very Httle benefit from them in that respect. In Provence, 

 Italy, and Greece, the Green Actinia is in great repute ; and Dicque- 

 mare speaks of .^. crassicornis as delicate food. "Of all the kinds of 

 sea anemones, I would prefer this for the table ; being boiled some 

 time in sea water, they acquire a firm and palatable consistence, and 

 may theii be eaten with any kind of sauce. They are of an inviting 

 appearance, of a light shivering texture, and of a soft white and 

 reddish hue. Their smell is not unlike that of a warm crab or 

 lobster." Dr. Johnston admits the tempting description, and does 

 not doubt their being not less a luxury than the sea urchins of the 

 Greeks, or the snails of the Roman epicures, but he was not induced 



* " On en a vu vivre deux et meme trois ans, sans recevoir de noumture." — 

 Vie des Aniinaitx, p. 117. 



