THE PURPLE ANEMONE. 545 



as a man's head, being cat off, would let out at the 

 neck the bit taken in at the mouth." It was offer- 

 ed a second time and again received, and retained 

 till the following day, when it was thrown up. In 

 this manner it was fed tor some time, the bits, 

 when they did not pass through, appearing con- 

 siderably altered on their re-appearance at the 

 mouth. — If the base of any of the Anemones be 

 injured by the incision, the wound generally proves 

 mortal. 



On being put under the receiver of an air pump, 

 and having the air exhausted, these animals did not 

 seem to experience any ill effects, or to perceive 

 any difference betwixt this and their being in the 

 open air : if their tentacula happened to be ex- 

 panded they remained so, and not the least shrink- 

 ing could be perceived. 



Some of them lived upwards of twelve months 

 without any other food than what the sea-water af- 

 forded them. 



When shell-fish, or pieces of other fish, or bits 

 of raw meat, were offered, if not too large, they 

 always took them. The shells, even if closed, they 

 ejected in the course of a day or two, but perfectly 

 cleared of their contents. 



They bring forth their young alive at the mouth ; 

 and the abbe had these produced several times in 

 his hands t they were generally from eight to twelve 

 in number. Though some of them are at .this time 

 almost imperceptible, yet they immediately fix them- 1 

 vol. in. N n 



