LECTURE X. 
145 
spreading in the manner of rays, and disposed in 
a single, double, or triple series, according to the 
different species. The Actiniae are very common 
on the rocks of most of the European coasts : when 
in their contracted state, they have the appear- 
ance of inanimate, rounded masses of coloured 
pulp or flesh j and when expanded, they greatly 
resemble the appearance of an expanded polype- 
talous flower, particularly those of the Anemone 
and Ranunculus tribe. One of the most common 
British species is the Actinia mria*, found on 
most of our coasts, and varying ad infinitum in 
its colours, being either red, olive, green, of differ- 
ent shades, and either plain or variously spotted • 
its principal character, and which distinguishes it 
in whatever variety of general colour it may hap- 
pen to appear, consists in a row of short bead-like 
prominences, surrounding the external row of ten- 
tacula : these bead-like processes are invariably of 
a bright blue colour. The Actinia mria S. S. in 
general measures about two inches in diameter at 
the base, but is occasionally seen of far larger size. 
A more beautiful species is however found on 
* Act. Mesembryanthemum. JElUs, Gmd. Sj/st. Naf. 
LECT. n. L 
