282 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



wliicli it has long been well entitled, as the facts about to be 

 related in reference to the propagation and perpetuation of 

 the race will sufficiently prove. Its domestic history may be 

 conveniently divided into three parts, corresponding to the 

 periods of time it has been in the possession of each of its 

 three successive custodians. 



The first possessor of this actinia was the late Sir John 

 Graham Daly ell — the modern Spallanzani — a well-deserved 

 compliment paid to him by Professor Owen for his original 

 and valuable contributions to the life-history of many of the 

 invertebrate group of the animal kingdom. In Sir John 

 Graham Daly ell's great work entitled, "Eare and Eemarkable 

 Animals of Scotland Eepresented from Living Subjects, with 

 Practical Observations on their Nature," published in 1848, 

 in two volumes, there will be found in vol. ii., chap, x., under 

 "Actinia, the Animal-Flower," an interesting description of 

 the genus. The chapter contains the life-history of the actinia 

 now exhibited, extending from 1828 to 1848, the year in 

 which the work was published. The original observations 

 and experiments made by Sir John Graham Dalyell on it are 

 illustrated by numerous plates and figures, in which the facts 

 observed are faithfully and artistically delineated. Of his 

 first acquaintance with this now celebrated animal, the 

 author makes the following statement : " I took a specimen 

 of Actinict mesemhryanthemum in August 1828, at North 

 Berwick, where the species is abundant among the crevices 

 of the rocks, and in the pools remaining still replenished 

 after the recess of the tide. It was originally very fine, 

 though not of the largest size ; and I computed from com- 

 parison with those bred in my possession, that it must have 

 been at least seven years old. 



" During two months, and afterwards, it continued in great 

 vigour and of ample dimensions, being at that time delineated 

 in plate 45, vol. ii. 



"While considering such animals mature, we must allow 

 that their organisation receives subsequent accessions, nor 

 can I say at what period, certainly a distant one, they cease 

 to grow. Firmly affixed by the spreading base, the disc of 

 this species is expanded above, and begirt by a triple row of 



