A small, olive-green sea-anemone, Sagartia lucise, occurs in countless numbers 

 at Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, on stones, docks, eel-grass, shells of living or dead 

 oysters, clams, and mussels — wherever, indeed, it can obtain a foothold near shore. 

 It is apt to seek situations where it is exposed to the air and sometimes even to the 

 sun during low tide, and it may occur where the water is brackish, especially at low 

 tide. Yet it is so hardy that it thrives under all these diverse conditions. When 

 taken into the laboratory, it will survive for weeks in a cupful of sea-water even after 

 enough evaporation has gone on to increase considerably the salinity of the water. 

 When detached for removal to the aquaria, especially when injured somewhat, it 

 may delay attaching itself again for days. At times, too, when the water becomes 

 foul or from other causes it may voluntarily detach itself and float about the aqua- 

 rium or hang upside down from the surface film. Gosse ('60) speaks of several vari- 

 eties of Sagartia troglodytes that will detach themselves and roll about the aquaria 

 even for months. The Dixons ('91) have observed that Metridium dianthus and 

 Actinia equina have the power of floating with the base up. 



The generic name Sagartia was proposed by Gosse in reference to a passage 

 in Herodotus, who in describing the methods of warfare of the Sagartians states that 

 they caught their enemy by means of missile cords. The long thread-like acontia of 

 Sagartia, armed with nettling cells are weapons of offence and defence. They are 

 thrust but and drawn back again through special openings in the body wall. The 

 specific name was applied by Verrill ('98) in honor of his daughter, who first called his 

 attention to the anemone. Professor Verrill first observed this actinian in the summer 

 of 1892 at New Haven. In his account of it Professor Verrill says that he carefully 

 studied the region about New Haven from 1865 to 1890, and that about Woods Hole 

 from 1871 to 1887, without finding a single specimen of this actinian. It is now very 

 plentiful in both these localities. "We must conclude," says Professor Verrill, "that 

 it has very much increased in numbers in this region within a few years, like several 

 other species. It may have been introduced from farther south on the oysters that 

 are annually brought north in large quantities and planted in our waters." 



Sagartia luciae may easily be distinguished from Sagartia leucolena, which is 

 also plentiful at Cold Spring Harbor, by its habit of attaching itself in exposed situ- 

 ations. It seeks the tops and sides of shells and stones, while S. leucolena is either 



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