208 THE OCEAN WORLD. 
left it to perish of hunger, became, in the sea anemone, the source of 
redoubled gastronomical enjoyment. 
“The anemones,” Frédol tells us, “are voracious, and full of 
energy; nothing escapes their gluttony; every creature which 
approaches them is seized, engulfed, and devoured. Nevertheless, 
with all the power of their mouth, their insatiable stomachs cannot 
retain the prey they have swallowed. In certain circumstances it 
contrives to escape, in others it is adroitly snatched away by some 
neighbouring marauder more cunning and more active than the 
anemone. 
“Tt is sometimes observed in aquariums that a shrimp, which has 
seen the prey devoured from a distance, will throw itself upon the 
ravisher, and audaciously wrest the prey from him and devour it 
before his eyes, to his great disappointment. Even when the savoury 
morsel has been swallowed, the shrimp, by great exertions, succeeds 
in extracting it from the anemone’s stomach. Seating itself upon the 
extended disc of the anemone, with its small feet it prevents the 
approach of the tentacles, at the same time that it inserts its claws 
into the digestive cavity and seizes the food. In vain the anemone 
tries to contract its gills and close its mouth. Sometimes the conflict 
between the sedentary zoophyte and the vagrant crustacean becomes 
serious. When the former is strong and robust, the aggression is 
repelled, and the shrimp runs the risk of supplementing the repast 
of the anemone.” 
If the actinias are voracious, they can also support a prolonged 
period of fasting. They have been known to live two and even 
three years without having received any nourishment.” * 
Although the sea anemone is said to be delicate eating, man 
derives very little benefit from them in that respect. In Provence, 
Italy, and Greece, the Green Actinia is in great repute ; and Dicque- 
mare speaks of A. crassicornis as delicate food. “ Of all the kinds of 
sea anemones, I would prefer this for the table; being boiled some 
time in sea water, they acquire a firm and palatable consistence, and 
may then be eaten with any kind of sauce. They are of an inviting 
appearance, of a light shivering texture, and of a soft white and 
reddish hue. Their smell is not unlike that of a warm crab or 
lobster.” Dr. Johnston admits the tempting description, and does 
not doubt their being not less a luxury than the sea urchins of the 
Greeks, or the snails of the Roman epicures, but he was not induced 
* “(On en a vu vivre deux et méme trois ans, sans recevoir de nourriture.” — 
Vie des Animaux, p. 117. 
