CARNOSI. . 431 
ORDER I. 
CARNOSI. 
The first order comprises fleshy animals that usually fix themselves 
by their base, several of which, however, have the power of crawl- 
ing on that base, or even of detaching it altogether, and swim- 
ming or suffering themselves to be carried away by the current. 
Most commonly however they merely expand the oral aperture, 
which is also the anus. It issurrounded with a greater or less num- 
ber of tentacula,and opens into a stomach en cul-de-sac. Between 
this internal sac and the external skin we find a tolerably complex, 
but still obscure organization, chiefly consisting of fibrous and ver- 
tical leaflets, to which the ovaries, that resemble tangled threads, are 
attached. The intervals of these leaflets communicate with the in- 
terior of the tentacula, and it appears that water penetrates into and 
issues from them by small orifices in the circumference of the mouth; 
the Actiniz, at least, sometimes ejaculate it in this manner *. 
Actinta, Lin. 
The fleshy body of these Polypi is frequently ornamented with bright 
colours, and exhibits numerous tentacula placed. round the mouth in 
several ranges, like the petals of a double flower, and hence their com- 
mon name of Sea-Anemones. They are extremely sensible to the in- 
fluence of the light, and expand or close in proportion to the fineness 
of the day. When they retract their tentacula, the opening through 
which those organs pass contracts and closes over them like the mouth 
of a purse. 
_ Their power of reproduction is scarcely inferior to that of the Hydra; 
parts that have been amputated shoot out again, and the animal may 
be multiplied by division. Their usual mode of generation is vivi- 
parous. The little Actinize pass from the ovary into the stomach and 
issue from the mouth. These Zoophytes, when hungry, dilate their 
mouth toa great extent. They devour all sorts of animals, especially 
Crustacea, Shell-fish, and small Fishes, which they capture with their 
tentacula and soon digest}. 
AcTINIA, proper. 
The true Actiniz fix themselves by a broad and flat base. 
The species most common on the coast of France are 
* See Spix, Ann. du Mus., XIII, xxxiii, f. 1—5. 
+ See Diquemare, Journ. de Phys., 1776, June, p. 515, and the Memoir on the 
Polypt and Actiniea, by M. Rapp; Weimar, 1829, 4to. 
