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THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



to a rock and remained there, too lazy 

 to move. Another result was, of course, 

 that its own sense organs degenerated 

 tlirough disuse and finally disappeared, 

 and so through the ages it gradually 

 changed to the dull senseless thing U 

 now is. Cynthia always reminds me or 

 the story of the very old-age pensioner 

 who, when asked by a kind lady how in- 

 passed his time said, "Zumtimes 1 zits 

 and thinks, and other times 1 just zits." 

 Cynthia "just zits.'' 



The two openings of which I spoke 

 as showing red when gaping are con- 

 nected with the food supplies, which 

 consist of the minute life of the sea. 

 As the tide rises the animal is coveried 

 and the water is drawn in through one 

 3pening and expelled through the other, 

 and the food is extracted meanwhile. 



A remarkal)le thing about the adult 

 sea-squirt is its heart, or rather its blood 

 circulation. The heart is something like 

 a bag bounded by strong muscles, and 

 its jiulsations. which send the l)lood 

 around the animal's body, are simply 

 muscular contractions which begin at 

 one end of 'the bag and slowly travel 

 until they reach the other end. But 

 here is the remarkable thing — the l)lood 

 does not always flow the same way. 

 After the pulsations have reached the 

 end of the bag there is a sliort pause ; 



The Sea Waratah Anemone (Paractis papaver). 

 Under rocks in dark corners this blood-red sea 

 anemone expands its tentacles. The contracted 

 animal at the top s;hows the condition of the 

 anemone when not snhmerged. 



Photo. — A. Mussrave. 



then they begin again in the opposite 



direction, so that the blood is driven 



round the body also in the opposite 

 (lii'ection. 



SKA-.\XKMOX10S. 



Tlie sea-anemones, some of the most 

 Ijeautiful creatures of the animal world, 

 may be found in cracks and hollows on 

 the rocky shore. It is rather difficult 

 sometimes to believe that they really are 

 animals, as they look so much like 

 Howers. The cylindrical body has a 

 strong muscular disc underneath, by 

 which the animal clings to its support, 

 and at the tojD there is an upper disc 

 bearing circles of tentacles, usually 

 beautifully coloured. The tentacles, 

 which are quite flexible, each contain a 

 little dart, which is injected into the 

 victim when the anemone seizes its prey. 

 If you touch them with your fingers you 

 can feel them cling. Although this will 

 cause no discomfort to you, it is other- 

 wise with small shell-fish, etc., which are 

 paralysed by the grip. In the centre ot 

 tlie rim of tentacles is a large mouth, 

 which communicates with a wide stomach 

 occupying nearly half of the interior of 

 the body. The anemones are extremely 

 \oracious, and even creatures with hard 

 unappetising shells ai-e just swallowed 

 whole and the shell is thrown out again 

 after the soft body has been absorbed. 

 The finest anemone on our coast is the 

 sea daldia [Oulactis muscusa), which is 

 found in exposed places such as near 

 the mouth of Middle Harbour and on 

 the coast. Its tentacles are pale bluish 

 purple in colour and the centre is often 

 a rich velvety brown. It has a curious 

 habit of plastering its body with sand 

 grains and sea shells, which quite dis- 

 guise it when the tentacles are closed. 

 In the more sheltered spots, we find the 

 sea waratah, {Paractus papaver) smaller 

 tiian the other, with a smooth, dark 

 Inown body and coral red tentacles. It 

 is often called the "blood sucker," which 

 gives it a reputation entirely undeserved. 



CRABS. 



Plenty of little shore crabs will be 

 found on the rocks and may often be 

 noticed feeding. It is a quaint sight to 



II 



