sensitiveness. The tentacula have considerable 

 elasticity ; they will seize the finger firmly, 

 stretching considerably before they let go their 

 hold ; they likewise bend readily round any object 

 placed within their reach, and carry it towards 

 the mouth ; in such cases, however, only the 

 tentacula near the object seem to engage them- 

 selves ; those at a little distance seem no way 

 cognisant of what is going on. That the creature 

 may spread to its full extent, it seems to gorge 

 itself with water ; perhaps it manages thus to 

 seize any animalcule, or other matter, the water 

 may contain suitable for its nourishment. When 

 it folds itself up, it ejects a considerable quantity 

 of water, and it then presents an appearance 

 something like a large orange striped longitudi- 

 nally, and firmly fixed by one end. 



No. 2 is reddish in color, not striped, but other- 

 wise of a similar structure and ^arrangement to 

 No. 1. 



No. 3 : the mantle is all but entirely white, 

 which is likewise the prevailing color of the 

 body and tentacula, while they are beautifully 

 tinted with red. The disc within the tentacula 

 is transparent ; in other respects, it resembles the 

 two former. 



9th. — Changed the water, and gave each of 

 the Polypes a small piece of fish, which has been 

 taken within the mantle, and probably into the 

 stomach. 



13th. — Gave each small pieces of fish and Cod 

 liver, and also pieces of the rays or arms of star- 

 fishes, which have all been taken into the 

 stomach, and apparently digested. Later in the 

 day, No. 3 disgorged two pieces of fish, which do 

 not seem to have been in any way affected by 

 their residence in its stomach. A little yellow 

 gelatinous matter was also thrown up along with 

 them. 



Nos. 2 and 3 seem shy of displaying their 

 tentacula during the day ; but I have frequently 

 found them finely displayed after dark. It is 

 difficult to count the number of tentacula ; but 

 they are probably from one hundred and twenty 

 to one hundred and fifty. They seem to seize 

 everything that comes within their reach, and 

 convey it to their mouth ; but in doing so they 

 exhibit no activity ; the object is brought slowly 

 forward, and slowly engulfed or rejected. The 

 mouth opens towards the object, and enlarges 

 itself to the size necessary for its reception. 



I have lately read some numbers of Dr. John- 

 ston's work on Zoophites, and am inclined to think, 

 from the descriptions there given, the species I 

 possess are referable to Actinia coriacea. 



16th. — Changed the water to-day, of which each 

 was very full, and when laid on a dry place gave 

 it out very freely ; indeed they seemed incapable 

 of retaining, for it spouted forth from the mouth, 

 the tentacula, and even through the pores, which 

 seemed to open in the mantle. No. 1 disgorged 

 with the water some pieces of Star-fish, which 

 had been in its stomach for some clays ; they did 

 not seem much altered, but a small piece which 

 has since been thrown out, seems to consist of the 

 harder parts only. No. 2 also disgorged a piece 

 of Star-fish to day ; it was half out when observed, 

 and on being touched came very easily away. 



19th. — The pieces offish and Star-fish which I 

 have from time to time given the Polypes appear 



to have been disgorged. I cannot say whether or 

 not the animals have been nourished by them : I 

 rather think not. Nos. 2 and 3 have repeatedly 

 ejected Limpets, which they had previously swal- 

 lowed, both in the shell and out of it. No. 1 has 

 taken them frequently into its stomach ; it throws 

 up the shell clean in a day or two. The animal 

 of the Limpet is also ejected, but it seems to have 

 undergone some change, as it is thrown out in 

 pieces. I offered a dead Limpet in the shell to it 

 the other day, but it showed an immediate dis- 

 position to get rid of it, and by lowering its 

 tentacula, allowed it to drop to the bottom of the 

 basin. 



27th. — For the last week the Polypes have 

 appeared to be much in the same state as formerly, 

 except that No. 1 looks scarcely so healthy. I 

 have given them, occasionally, pieces of fish and 

 Cod liver. The former has generally, if not 

 always, been disgorged ; I am not sure if the latter 

 has. No. 3 has been for the most part fully ex- 

 panded lately, and a singularly beautiful object it is 

 when in this state. On several occasions lately I 

 have found Nos. 2 and 3 firmly attached to the 

 sides of the basin in which they were kept, the 

 means of attachment being small points which are 

 protruded from the skin . As No. 1 appears sickly, 

 I have taken it and put it into a pool between high 

 and low-water-mark, wishing to see whether it 

 will make its habitat there, and recover. 



April 1st. — I have repeatedly examined the 

 pool for No. 1, but find it is not there ; whether it 

 has floated or been washed away I cannot tell. 

 This morning put No. 2 into the same pool, but 

 on looking for it in the evening, found it was gone. 

 No. 3 continues lively, and frequently displays its 

 tentacula. For several days past it has had no 

 other food than what it may derive from the water 

 in which it is kept. 



23rd. — Gave No. 3 a piece of Cod liver yester- 

 day morning ; to-day I thought I saw small 

 portions of it in the points of the tentacula, as if 

 it were passing through the animal's system : it is 

 easily recognised by its color being of a deeper 

 red than the animal itself. 



May 4th. — The Polype continues in much the 

 same state as formerly. I have fed it occasionally 

 with Cod liver, and feel persuaded that it derives 

 some nutriment from it, and I have repeatedly 

 noticed that portions of it appear to pass into the 

 tentacula. 



Our next extract refers to the Frog. C. A. 

 J., the writer, says : — 



I was sitting in my drawing-room this very 

 wet morning, when I was called away from my 

 book by the sudden exclamation from one of the 

 children, " Here's a frog crawling up the window ! " 

 Strange as was the intelligence, it proved to be 

 true. With arms and legs expanded on the wet 

 glass, and adhering to it with all the under 

 surface of the body, sprawled a half-grown frog, 

 motionless, but with sparkling eyes, and breath- 

 ing naturally, as the rising and falling cheeks 

 clearly proved. After resting a few minutes, it 

 began to stir, and with remarkable activity as- 

 cended several inches, moving its limbs exactly 

 as a sailor does when climbing the shrouds. 

 Again it became stationary, supporting itself, how- 

 ever, without effort, and soon after mounted 



