4 04 On Sea Anemones and Hydroid Polyps 



mens they adhered very firmly to the stones, and could scarcely 

 be detached without injury to the base. When disturbed, they 

 ejected water forcibly from the pores of the skin, along with their 

 long white filaments, probably organs of defence, and possessing 

 an urticating or benumbing property. 



The range of colouring was very great, and was quite indepen- 

 dent of the age or size of the specimens ; but when several speci- 

 mens were attached to the same stone, they were usually of the 

 same colour. The prevailing tint externally was umber brown of 

 various shades , but some specimens were fawn coloured, and this 

 passed in others into a very pale flesh colour ; some were beauti- 

 fully striped with brown on a fawn or flesh coloured ground. In 

 every case the colours of the disc and tentacles corresponded in 

 intensity with those of the outer coat. The following descrip- 

 tions show this relation in the more conspicuous colour varieties. 



(a) Body externally very pale flesh colour, sometimes nearly 

 white ; oral bands pale flesh colour ; outer tentacles rich flesh 

 colour. The inner tentacles in this and the other varieties were 

 paler than the outer. The specimen represented in Fig. 1 was of 

 this variety. 



(b) Body flesh colour or fawn, striped with brown ; oral disc 

 flesh colour ; outer tentacles rich dark flesh colour. The speci- 

 men represented in Fig. 2 was of this colour. 



(c) Body reddish brown ; oral bands reddish oranjge; outer 

 tentacles deep purple. 



(d) Body umber brown, lighter when expanded ; oral bands 

 fawn or dull orange ; outer tentacles purplish slate colour. Some 

 of the largest specimens were of this colour, and presented a lurid 

 or 'dingy aspect, very strongly contrasting with their delicately 

 complexioned neighbours. 



1 have not met with any notice of the occurrence of A. dianthus 

 in America, except in Stimpson's Marine Invertebrata of Grand 

 Manan, where it is stated that a specimen supposed to belong to 

 this species was taken, but lost before it could be examined. As 

 already stated, I believe the specimens above described to be re- 

 ferrible to this species, but should they prove on comparison to be 

 distinct and previously undiscovered, I shall claim for them the 

 name of A. Canadensis. 



(2.)— Actinia ? K S. 



With the specimens just described were found a few indivi- 

 duals of a very distinct species, not unlike A. 3fesemhryanthemum, 



