212 THE OCEAN WORLD. 
about three inches long, and one and a half in diameter, and about 
five inches when fully expanded ; the skin is smooth, of a uniform 
olive, whitish, cream, or flesh colour. The centre of the disc is 
ornamented with a circle of white bands, radiating from the mouth, 
the lamelle running across the circumference being perceptible 
through the transparent skin. From the narrow colourless inter- 
spaces between the lamellze the tentacula originate. “They are 
placed,” says Dr. Johnston, “ between the mouth and the margin, 
which is encircled by a dense fringe of incontestable beauty, com- 
posed of innumerable short tentacula or filaments, forming a thick, 
furry border.” In Piate V., Figs. 9, 10, we have probably 
Anthea cereus (Ellis), the body of which is a light chestnut colour, 
smooth, sulcated lengthwise, with tentacula rising from the disc 
to the number, in aged animals, of 200. Sagartia viduata, Gosse 
(PLatTE VI, Fig. 4), has the body adherent, cylindrical, destitute ot 
warts, emitting capsuliferous filaments from pores; nettling-threads 
short, densely armed with a brush of hairs; tentacles above 200 
arranged in five rows. A. ficta, which Professor Edward Forbes 
changed to Adamsia palliata, is described by Mr. Adams, who 
first discovered it, “as longitudinally sulcated, having the edges 
of the base crenated; the lower part an obscure red, and the 
upper part transparent white, marked with fine purple spots; the 
outer circumference of the aperture has a narrow stripe of pink. 
When expanded, the superior division of the body seems formed ot 
membrane. From perforated warts placed without order on the 
outer coat, issued white filamentous substances variously twisted 
together. I have observed,” he adds, “similar bodies ejected from 
the mouths of all the species of this genus which have fallen within 
my notice.” This species is generally found adherent to the mouth 
of turbinate shells of Gasteropods, which it sometimes invests with a 
horny membrane. 
Actinia mesembryanthemum (Johnston). This species is extremely 
common on rocks between the tide marks all round the coasts of 
Great Britain and Ireland, as well as those of France. It attaches 
itself chiefly to rocks beaten by the waves and exposed to view at 
the time of low water. The body is from two to three inches in 
height, and from an inch to an inch and a half in diameter ; hemi- 
spherical when contracted, it resembles a bell perforated at the 
summit, dilated into a cylinder. When fully extended the tentacula 
are nearly equal to the height of the body, of a uniform liver colour, 
or olive green, and sometimes streaked with blue, having a greenish 
line either continuous or in spots, the base generally of a greenish 
