544 THE PURPLE SEA ANEMONE. 



of nearly the same height when closed. Its form 

 is that of a very obtuse cone, with an orifice at the 

 top, which it can at pleasure either close entirely 

 or extend very wide, to admit its tentacula to spread 

 out, and to receive such food as they draw into it. 

 These tentacula are varied with red in such manner 

 as, when fully expanded, to bear a very consider- 

 able resemblance to the flower of some of the gar- 

 den Anemones. If any extraneous substance is 

 introduced into the cavity of the mouth, or even if 

 any of the tentacula are but slightly touched, 

 the animal instantly contracts itself into a conoid 

 shape. 



THE PURPLE SEA ANEMONE*. 



On this species the abbe Dicquemaire made se- 

 veral experiments to prove its powers of reproduc- 

 tion, &c. He first cut off all its tentacula, which 

 grew again in less than a month ; and, on repeating 

 this a second and third time, he had equal success. 

 One of the animals had its upper part cut off: the 

 base was found, a few days afterward, to have 

 fallen from its place, but it soon entirely recovered 

 its limbs. After cutting one of them in two, the 

 abbe offered a piece of a muscle to the detached 

 part, and the limbs seemed eager to take it. They 

 drew it into the mouth, and it was swallowed ; but, 

 as the body was wanting to receive it, the piece 

 came out at the opposite end, "just (says the ab 



Actinia iufa. Linn. 



i 



