July 1, 1865,] 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



157 



of the most variable of all our British Anemones 

 (fig. 6), and one of the most abundant and widely dis- 

 tributed, in which it diifers vastl3^ from the last two, 

 comparatively rare, species. Notwithstandmg its 

 great variability, there is very little difficulty in dis- 

 tinsuishing and determining it. There is a charac- 



Fig. 7. 



teristic mark often present on the tentacles very 

 much like a letter B, as will be seen by the wood- 

 cut (fig. 7). These are very numerous, often 

 reaching two hundred; and, moreover, its "troglo- 

 dyte " or cave-dwelling habit, and sulky propensity 

 of retii'ing within its den at the slightest provocation, 

 are excellent features to assist in naming it. When 

 placed in a tank, however, and allowed to see that 

 there are other creatures in the world as well as 

 themselves, they soon relinquish their morose habits, 

 and adhering to a flat stone, or the glass itself, be- 

 have as Avell-conducted and domestic anemones 

 ought to do. 



Fig. 8. 



The Pakasitic ANEMOi^rE {Sagartia parasitica) 

 is very abundant about Bally van ghan, on the Clare 

 shore, as well as some parts of the British coast. 

 It is often found on dead shells, especially those in- 

 habited by the Hermit Crab, but in the former 

 locality I have found it usually parasitic upon the 

 shell of the living cockle [Cardium echde). Almost 

 every "cockle" gathered by the children on the 

 strand has one or two of the parasitic anemones 

 adhering to it, striped alternately dull-white and 

 purplish brown (fig. 8). They are in the button state, 

 not unlike that sweetmeat which is such a delicacy to 

 the schoolboy, and known to him as the " bull's-eye." 

 It was till lately supposed that this species never 

 adhered to living shells. It thrives very well in an 

 aquarium ; the cockle soon dies, and the valves of 

 its shell open, and then the parasite leaves it and 

 betakes itself to the glass. A good distinguishing 

 mark of this species, besides its parasitic habit and 

 striped body, is the dark line down each side of the 

 tentacle. 



The Opelet {Anthea cereus) is one of the com- 

 monest of our native species (fig. 9), on the south and 

 west coasts of England, on parts of the Scotch 



Fig. 9. 



coast, and possibly all round Ireland. The variety 

 with the gracefully waving purplish-green tentacles 

 is the predominant one at Spanish Point. I have 

 observed specimens collected here that have the 

 power of retracting their tentacles to a very con- 

 siderable degree, the little purple tips being alone 

 visible. 



The Beadlet {Actinia mesemhryaiithemum) is a 

 well-known and abundant species (fig. 10), not only on 

 the shores of Britain, but also of Ireland. At Spanish 



Point myriads of individuals are left high and dry by 

 the tide, decking the rocks with every shade of red, 

 pui-ple, and green. One of the most beautiful 

 varieties is, I think, that having a light blue tinge, 

 with azure-blue base and tentacles. 



At Lehinch, at the head of Ijiscaunon Bay, the 

 variety called the "Strawberry" is very abundant. 

 It occurs nearer to low-water mark than the normal 



form, and attains to a greater size, often being as 

 large as average-sized individuals of the Dahlia 

 Wartlet {Tealia erassicornis) ; besides which it is 

 much more easily detached from the rock, and is 

 softer to the touch, so much so, indeed, that I could 

 at once recognize it by the mere feeling, when the 

 animal was concealed from view beneath some over- 

 hanging ledge, or by the dusk of evening. 

 The " Strawberry " is the most easily kept of all 



