7026 Radiata. 



species which wilhin the last few days have fallen to my lot, and at another 

 time I may probably return to the subject with a fresh batch of claimants for notice. — 

 John Scoif. ; 13, Torrington Villas, Lee, S. E., April 16, 1860. 



Actinia Mesembryanthemum with Three Mouths. — T have now in my possession an 

 Actinia Mesembryanihemum with three distinct mouths; it is only within the last 

 fortnight that I detected the third mouth, although I have had the specimen for some 

 months, during which it seemed to be merely a double-disked individual. Having 

 often examined it at different periods, without noticing any sign of a third mouth, I 

 can hardly resist the conviction that it has been developed within a short time of its 

 detection. Double-disked examples of this species do not appear to be very uncom- 

 mon. One specimen I observed last year while expanded in its native pool, but 

 usually they have turned up among specimens taken at random : they have only 

 occurred to me of small size and of the greenish varieties. The triple-disked 

 individual is less than a small pea and of a pale olive-green colour, the margin of each 

 mouth being of a deeper blue-green. One double-disked specimen apparently 

 developed itself in one of my pans of sea-water. Having cut out the body of a lim- 

 pet for microscopic purposes, I dropped the empty shell into the pan for the hermit- 

 crabs, &c., to regale themselves on whatever might remain attached to it. After 

 several weeks a minute specimen of Actinia Mesembryanthemum was noticed attached 

 to the inner side of the shell, where it could not have been during the life of the mol- 

 lusk, and on close examination it was seen to be double-disked. It is remarkable 

 that none of this species of Actinia were in the pan, nor had there been any for two 

 or three months previously. — George Guyon ; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, April 4, 1860. 



PS. — It strikes me that in my communication a few days ago, regarding double- 

 disked Actiniae, I termed one of my specimens a triple-disked individual ; if so I 

 made use of a phrase not exactly correct, as, although it possesses three mouths, two 

 of them are placed on the same disk without any intervening i"ow of tentacles ; at the 

 same time there is a tendency to such a separation, as a single rather large tentacle 

 stands well out from the rest on one side, marking where the division should be. 



Double-disked Actinia. 



Side view. View from above. 



a. a. Strip of Meat. 



PS. 2. — Since my last communication I presented a long strip of meat to one of 

 the mouths of a double-disked Actinia ; it was of course drawn in, and in a few 

 hours the Anemone had extended itself to take in as much as possible, a portion still 



