Haddon and Dixon — The Structure of Peachia hastata. 405 



motion ; it is not uncommon to see one or two contracted and 

 reduced to the size of mere warts, while the rest are fully ex- 

 tended and ready to grasp anything that comes within their reach. 

 They do not seem to be provided with urticating powers to the 

 same extent as the tentacles of other anemones ; for shrimps and 

 little fish that haunt flat sands brush against, and even rest upon 

 them, without suffering any apparent inconvenience. 



In confinement we have found P. hastata lives best without 

 having sand to burrow in. They generally lie at the bottom of 

 the tank, surrounded more or less with collars of slime interwoven 

 with the conf ervoid growth that gathers in an aquarium ; sometimes 

 they hold themselves erect. 



The body wall of P. hastata is studded with minute suckers 

 which enable it to hold itself upright against any smooth surface ; 

 these suckers never lay hold of particles of sand or shell, as do 

 those of Tealia and Heliactis. 



After being some time in confinement, these anemones often 

 become ruptured in several places, their craspeda protruding in 

 convoluted masses which usually slough off ; the animal generally 

 remains constricted at the point of rupture, and will live several 

 days in this state and may ultimately recover. We have no parti- 

 culars to give concerning their method of reproduction. 



\^For Desceiption of Plates, see over. 



