Dt M' Bain's Notes on Actinia mesembryanthemum. 287 



given birth to upwards of 150 living young actiniae. None 

 of tliem have shown any tendency to monstrosity. 



On 226. March 1873, I presented Miss Frances Hope of 

 Wardie with two of the nine actiniae produced by " Granny " 

 on 9th December 1872, which were exhibited at the conver- 

 sazione of the Medico-Chirurgical Society. The two actiniae 

 were put into a separate glass vessel, and fed once a week, 

 sometimes oftener, with small portions of mussel {Mytilus 

 edtdis), and afterwards supplied with pure sea-water. 



This method was persevered in for a period of four years. 

 In the absence of Miss F. Hope, tlieir wants were strictly 

 attended to by Miss Eeid, whose careful attention has much 

 conduced to the successful result of the object in view. The 

 experiment was to ascertain whether a well-regulated plan 

 of feeding, and a frequent supply of aerated sea-water to 

 its offspring, produced in her later years, might prove 

 them to be as fertile and productive as they were in the 

 early days of its domestic life. The result has justified the 

 expectation, and rewarded the constant care and attention 

 that has been bestowed on these actiniae. 



On 1st March 1877, a young actinia was observed in the 

 glass vessel, soon followed by others at uncertain intervals, 

 and they now amount to upwards of twenty. Two are here 

 exhibited. The specimens at Wardie, of which these are the 

 offspring, are equal in size to the parent — the colour 

 liver -brown, but brighter than it is at the present time. 

 The tint, however, agTces with her as delineated in plate 45, 

 fig. 1, in " Eare and Kemarkable Animals of Scotland," and 

 with the description of the specimen when taken from its 

 native habitat at North Berwick. The brightness of colour, 

 doubtless, depends upon the condition of the pigment 

 corpuscles. Two actiniae produced by " Granny's " offspring 

 are now subjected to the same careful attention and mode of 

 treatment by Miss Frances Hope at Wardie; and it is 

 anticipated, that at the expiration of four years, perhaps 

 sooner, the experiment may prove equally successful. 



It is an interesting sight to see the old actinia during 

 the act of taking food. A bit of mussel or other organic 

 substance, on approaching within reach of the tentacula, is 



