ZOOPHYTES. 137 



The gorgeous Serpula, of which there are to be found 

 several species on the New York coast, may be placed 

 with advantage in our Aquarium. They are curious crea- 

 tures, living in tubes composed of lime, of a serpentine 

 form, and attached to stones. When these tubes are 

 watched, and everything is perfectly still, we shall see the 

 animal project an instrument of the form of a trumpet, 

 which is used to stop up the entrance to his house. Next 

 comes two combs of bright scarlet tentacular, which are 

 used to secure its prey ; but let us make ever so slight a 

 movement, and, at once, all disappears within the tube. 

 There is also a species which has its combs of hairs of an 

 orange hue, and its long funnel of a bright red color. This 

 species is very common, and is called Scrpula contortwplicata. 

 (Plate X., Fig. 3.) 



An Anemone (so called from some fancied resemblance 

 to the flower of that name, though it is more like a pas- 

 sion-flower) is in appearance, when closed, a mass of flesh, 

 of a somewhat hemispherical form, and varying in size from 

 that of the head of a pin, to five or six inches across, 

 (when open). When the creature is hungry (which is 

 nearly always), it spreads its arms out in all directions ; 

 and then, the Anemone is a splendid sight — being of all 

 shades, from a pure white to dark brown, through different 

 shades of red, scarlet, grey, green and orange, and in a 

 few kinds, blue. 



It is difficult to give to a person who has never seen an 

 Anemone, an idea of its form and appearance when ex- 

 panded to its utmost. Imagine, however, a glass tumbler 

 turned bottom upwards, and having around the edge of 



