IN COUCH'S ZOOPHYTES OF CORNWALL. 159 



Coiich, in liis " Cornisli Fauna," at page 83, mentions having 

 found this species in abundance on the Cornish coast, and enters 

 fully into a description of it, its manner of feeding, mode of pro- 

 gression, &c. In one point I think him wrong, when saying that 

 after they had loosened their tentacula and by twisting the foot 

 about, in this way they move from place to place, and " If the 

 change be only for a short distance they bend their cam- 

 pan ulate rims and bring the tentacula in contact with the fucus, 

 or whatever it may be, and by them adhere to it." It is the 

 adherence to any object they wish to rest on by their tentacles 

 that is wrong ; they most certainly catch their food with them, 

 but hold on to new objects when removing by the ''marginal 

 glands" of Couch — "oval vesicles" of Johnston — which they have 

 on the margin, between the rows of tentacula. The use of these 

 "glands " or " vesicles" was unknown until I had the pleasure 

 of finding it out and of communicating it to Dr. Johnston, when 

 he was writing the 2nd edition of his " British Zoophytes," in 

 which, at p. 247, he kindly recorded the fact, in my own words. 

 "Some time since I got four specimens of Lucernaria auricula, 

 and was much pleased to notice the use of the little marginal 

 tubercles between the bunches of tentacula. They are for the 

 purpose of holding ly, either for suspension or when removing 

 from place to place. I have repeatedly tried them. After first 

 noticing it, I found that they could adhere firmly to a piece of 

 sea-weed or a bent of haj^, if put to them, and it was curious to 

 see how quickly and firmly they held. I have not seen this fact 

 noticed before." I have found Lucernaria auricula in Cornwall, 

 at Peterhead, in Aberdeenshire and Wick, in Caithness, N.B., 

 and at Unst, the most northern part of Shetland; and at all 

 places they held on in the same manner. I regret that no one 

 appears willing to describe these really beautiful animals. 

 Gosse intended to do so, in his "History of the British Sea- 

 Anemones." At the close of the descrij)tion of the Anemones he 

 abandoned them and said — " Contrary to my original intention, I 

 have determined to exclude this family from my work. Their 

 true afiinities are with the Htjdrozoa and Mcdusce''^ ; and thus they 

 remain literally undescribed. As for their relationship to the 

 Medusa, I fancy the marginal tubercle is common to both — are 

 their uses the same ? It wovild be well if this were looked into ; 



