1861.] ON THE SEA-ANEMONES OF MADEIRA. 299 



, tacles and the upper part of the column are nearly colourless, and 

 have the appearance of a transparent film. 



Abundant on stones near low-tide mark ; sometimes attached to 

 sea-weed. 



Order ZOANTHARIA, M.-Edw. 



Suborder Actiniaria, M.-Edw. 



Fam. AcTiNiiD^, M.-Edw. 



Sagartia parasitica, R. Q. Couch, sp. 



This species is invariably seated upon shells inhabited by Hermit 

 Crabs, Cassis sidcosa, Dolium perdix, Triton nodiferus, ^c. 



Sagartia affinis, sp. n. 



This species is closely allied to the last, and like it is always found 

 upon shells of which Hermit Crabs have taken possession, some- 

 times in company with it, sometimes alone. Its base is capable of 

 great extension ; and its column rises pillar-like, of a diameter very 

 much less than that of the base. When contracted it will often lie 

 so flat as to be scarcely thicker than a sixpence. The ground-colour 

 of the column is yellow ; and there are five broad, more or less fus- 

 cous longitudinal bands, which, when the body is contracted, lie 

 star-Uke upon it. Sometimes there is an irregular whitish transverse 

 band placed nearer the disk than the base ; and in some specimens 

 a number of white longitudinal streaks have been observed near the 

 base. The inside of the mouth is orange. The disk itself is yel- 

 lowish, the tentacles grey, numerous, in four or five rows. The 

 average size of this species is less than that of S. j)arasitica, the 

 largest specimens of which I have never seen equalled by any of S. 

 affinis. Near neighbours in habit and mode of life as these two may 

 be, I have never observed any passage from one form to the other, 

 although a good many specimens have been met with. It is an eager 

 and voracious feeder, and bears captivity very well. It will some- 

 times transfer itself from the shell to the bottom of the tank, and 

 after a while, lo ! it is seated on the shell once more, the shell beino- 

 all the time the abode of a restless Pagunis. 



Phellia vestita, sp. n. 



Base adherent to rocks, less than column. Column cylindrical 

 when expanded, clothed with a dense, brown, closely-adherent skin, 

 rough Uke wash-leather, which when forcibly stripped off discloses 

 the true skin beneath, which is smooth and of a pinky red. The 

 animal is able to protrude the lower part and the upper part of its 

 column from beneath the epidermal covering, which seems to consist 

 chiefly of mucus and fine mud blended together. In a contracted 

 state it is wrinkled transversely, but not warted. Disk smooth, red- 

 dish, with radiating marks of brown and white. Tentacles numerous, 

 in three rows, crowded near margin of disk, of moderate length, the 

 innermost row the longest ; retractile, conical, rather broad at the 



