74 



obtuse cone. This species in addition to being rooted is one 

 of the most inactive of its order ; for whether in a state of 

 contraction or expansion it will remain so for many days or 

 even a week without apparent change. If it should be in 

 an expanded state, a touch will make it contract, and it will, 

 most commonly remain so for several days. Its most fa- 

 vourite state, is the semi-expanded in which it will sometimes 

 remain from a week to a fortnight without change. 



The trailing connecting band is flat, thin, narrow and of 

 the same texture as the polype and glandular. It frequently 

 gets enlarged into small papillary eminences, which as they 

 become enlarged, become developed into polypes. 



This species and the Actinia sociata of Ellis are very 

 closely allied to each other; this, however, is shorter, smaller 

 and not so much pedunculated as Ellis figures his to be, 

 and the fleshy band also appears to be thinner and wider. 



Having communicated specimens to Dr. G. Johnston, he 

 is of opinion that it is distinct from Ellis' species, and has 

 done me the honour to give it the name quoted above. 



ACTINIIDjE. 



Body naked, fleshy, contractile, locomotive. 

 ACTINIA, Linnaeus. 

 Generic Character: Body conoid or cylindrical, adhering by 

 a broad base : the space between the mouth and the rim of 

 the upper disc, occupied by one or more series of conical 

 undivided tubular tentacula, which are entirely retractile. 



SEA-FIG MARYGOLD ; SEA-ANEMONE ; COWS. 



A. Mesembryanthemum. Body conical, smooth ; tentacula 

 in several rows; around the oral disc a row of azure blue 

 tubercles. PI. iv\, fig. 1. 



Hydra Mesembryanthemum, Stewart's Elem., vol. 2, p. 451. 

 Actinia Equina, Fleming's Brit. An., p. 497. A Hernis- 

 pherica, Pennant's Brit. Zoology, vol. 4, p. 50. Templeton 

 in Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 9, p. 303. A. Rufa, Stewart's Elem., 

 vol. 1, p. 393. Actinia Mesembryaulhenium, Johnston in 

 Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 8, p. 81. fig. 12; Brit. Zooph., p. 211, 

 fig. 31, p. 210. Ellis and Solanders Zuoph,, p. 4. Turton's 

 Lin., vol. 4, p. 104. Sea-Anemone, Roget's Bridgewater 

 Treatise, vol. 1, p. 198, figs. 80, 87. 



Hab. On rocks and stones between the tide marks; abun- 

 dant all along the coast. 



This species is so common on all parts of our coast, that 

 it is hardly necessary particularly to describe it. It is 

 generally ot a reddish brown, liver, or olive green colour, 

 and lives in a very scattered manner in pools and on the 



