IIELIANTHOIDA, 463 



Genus Anthea. 

 A. cereus, Johnst. 



In September, 1835, I made a note of this species as being the most 

 common Actinia of Ballyholme Bay (Co. Down), where it was gregarious, 

 forming in some jilaces a continuous fringe round large rock-pools and 

 stones, exposed to view at low water. In such quantity it is not now to 

 be seen there, having become gradually scarcer since the period mentioned. 

 In Dublin Bay and on the western coast this species likewise ])revails. It 

 is commonly of a dull ash-colour throughout, but wherever I have re- 

 marked it, some few individuals were to be found of a green colour, with 

 the tentacula partially or wholly red. The A. cereus is doubtless one of 

 the species mentioned under another name by IMr. Templeton as found at 

 Ballyholme Bay (Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. ix. p. 303), but in uncertainty 

 which of his should be referred to, I have thought it better to notice the 

 subject again. 



I once saw it literally fringing, without a single gap, a small rock-pool 

 about five yards long with their fully expanded tentacula ; the specimens 

 were very large, one of them, the largest I had ever seen, was 6 inches in 

 diameter from point to point of the opposite tentacula. They were all of 

 the ordinary dull hue throughout. 



Genus Adamsia. 

 A. maculata, Johnst. 



This extremely beautiful species, taken by dredging at Strangford 

 Lough, in January, 1835, by Mr. Hyndman and myself, has subsequently 

 occurred to us commonly there and in Belfast Bay — to Bulla lignana as 

 well as the larger Trochi it is occasionally found attached. Every shell 

 that I have seen the A. maculata invest was tenanted by the Pagurus 

 Prideauxii, Leach, a species which, extensively as the native Paguri 

 have been collected by me, never occurred under other cii'cumstances. 



On the Waterford coast, investing dead shells (inhabited by Pagurus 

 Bernhardus) of Buccinum undatum, Dr. Farran. 



Genus Actinia. 



A. mesemhryanthemmn, Ellis. 

 Common around the shores of Ireland, where the different seasons of 

 the year have no effect that ever I could observe upon its colours (see 

 Brit. Zoop., p. 212). 



A. margaritifera, Templeton. 

 Copeland Isles (mouth of Belfast Bay), August, 1811, Mr. Templeton. 

 "West side Donegal Bay, Prof. Forbes. 



A. vicluata, Miill. Zool. Dan. 



Observed between tide-marks at Lahinch (Co. Clare) by Prof. Forbes 

 and myself. 



Bangor, Co. Down, July 4, 1836, G. C . H. and W. T. 



I found two very small specimens attached to a stone between tide-marks ; 

 their colour was an olive green, with the stri])cs ]nn'e white from base to 

 apex, and between the main stripes, when wider than usual, short white 

 rays shot from the base a short way upwards. These specimens were 

 quite free from sand, and seemed not to difter from A. mesernhryanthe- 



