248 PHYSIOGRAPHY. [chap. 



unlike that of a China-aster, or some other member of 

 that great group of plants represented by our daisies and 

 dandelions. 



If any little animal, such as a shrimp, chance to come 

 within reach of the outspread feelers, it is at once carried to 

 the mouth and thrust into a sac, which occupies the centre of 

 the body. Between the walls of this sac and those of the 

 body, there is a wide space, so that the arrangement may be 

 compared to that of a common inkstand j the inner sack repre- 

 senting the glass vessel which holds the ink, and the rest of 

 the body the body of the inkstand, into which the ink-holder 

 drops. And, just as there are holes round the top of the 

 inkstand for holding pens, which holes open into the inter- 

 space between the inkholder and the body of the inkstand ; 

 so, round the top of the body of the sea-anemone, there are 

 openings, by which the cavities contained within the feelers 

 communicate with the interspace between the inner and the 

 outer sacs. Beyond this point, however, there are two 

 important differences between the sea-anemone and the 

 inkstand. For the inner sac is open at the bottom ; and, con- 

 sequently, the interspace between the inner and the outer 

 sacs, and the cavities of the feelers, are in free communication 

 with the cavity of the inner sac ; and, therefore, by means of 

 the mouth, with the exterior. Hence, all the cavities are 

 full of sea-water. In the second place, in the sea-anemone, 

 a number of vertical partitions stretch from the inner sac to 

 the outer wall of the body, whereby the interspace between 

 the two is divided into numerous chambers. 



The food which is taken into the inner sac undergoes 

 digestion ; its nutritive parts are dissolved and are 

 diffused through the fluid which fills the body, and which 

 thus serves the purpose of blood ; while the indigestible 

 hard parts are cast out again by the mouth. The body of 



