Radiaia. 



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the button at top, to permit of free circulation of water. It may rest on a bit of stone 

 or rock-work, on one edge, to the height of an inch, opposite the light ; and it should 

 be withdrawn when the specimens are required to be seen. The vessel, when not 

 otherwise needed, is very useful for aerating the water. It may be filled and held 

 over the tank for a few minutes, as opportunity presents during the day, or it may be 

 permanently fixed in a little wooden framework (as I have seen it done by a friend) a 

 foot or so above the aquarium. The gentle trickling stream, similar to that from the 

 rose of a watering-pot, seems to be vastly more agreeable to my living flowers than 

 the more violent process of syringing, if we may judge from the free and healthy 

 manner in which they expand after the operation. — I have several times been asked 

 by friends the best means of ridding the glass sides of tanks and vases from confervoid 

 growth, — that difficult and troublesome, though highly necessary, inhabitant of all 

 aquaria. When not excessive, of course it contributes materially to the health of the 

 animals ; but, so far as my experience goes, even with the best and most approved 

 tanks it is sometimes an intruder, if not very carefully watched. Sponge-sticks and 

 brushes have all been unavailing in cleansing the sides, so closely does it adhere. The 

 following simple and inexpensive plan answers admirably : — Procure a piece of hard 

 wood, say ten inches long, strong enough to bear pressure. Get it shaped into a 

 wedge-like form, with a cylindrical handle coming out from the central part. A gar- 

 dener's spade is the best model I can think of to go upon. Twist some coarse cotton, 

 such as that used for the wick of a spirit-lamp, lightly round the wedge. This little 

 instrument will be found most effective, when smartly rubbed on the glass sides of the 

 tank, in removing all opacity. Large masses of Conferva may readily be picked off 

 the rock-work with the forceps ; and it is a good plan to give the anemones these 

 pieces as food before removing them from the tank. They are greedily seized by the 

 tentacles, retained for some time in the stomach, and afterwards disgorged. On ex- 

 amination of the smallest portion of a fresh piece under the microscope it will be 

 found to contain myriads of Infusoria, Rotifera, Entomostraca, &c, the natural food 

 of the Actiniae, which I suppose will account for the relish with which the Conferva 

 is retained. — A magnificent Dianthus in my possession really deserves to be immor- 

 talised in the pages of the ' Zoologist.' It is by far the finest specimen I have ever 

 seen or heard of. I suppose that eminent authority Mr. Gosse would assign it to the 

 var. brunnea. The colour is of a beautiful pale orange, with the lip of a brilliant and 

 darker tinge. The creature is comfortably located on the convex side of an immense 

 oyster-shell, but has on one or two occasions endeavoured to change its quarters, to 

 the detriment of sundry individuals of other species. As far as I can measure with 

 accuracy, it is full 7 inches high, 4 in diameter across the disk and tentacles, and 

 about If inch in diameter of column. The base covers an irregular outline of 8 inches 

 in circumference. When closed it is the most insignificant creature one can conceive ; 

 but when fully expanded and perfectly erect it is a truly beautiful and graceful object. 

 Seven lobes, bristled and frilled and indented with tentacles which baffle my perse- 

 verance to count, festoon around the summit of the column, and give it the appear- 

 ance of a noble palm tree. This appearance is increased if we may fancy the undu- 

 lating motion of the tentacles (which are a rarity to see perfectly at rest) to resemble 

 the gentle breeze when playing through the leaves of a palm tree. The specimen was 

 dredged from the middle of Weymouth Bay, in the month of September last, by a 

 friend, who presented it to me. Since then it has produced some twenty young ones, 

 by fission of small portions of the base. At one time eight of these, each less than an 

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