1890.] THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



197 



intermittent rush of the blood, in two diverse streams, to all parts of 

 the body. This colourless blood fluid containing corpuscular particles, 

 thus performs a well distributed circulation, undergoing revitalization 

 in the small branchial sacs on either side of the body. 



Among the tangled roots or stolons of these same zoophytes, found 

 we yet two other species of Crustacea ; the one, a sea spider, or 

 Pycnogonidce, uncouth animals with long sprawling limbs. It is 

 a curious fact that upon every specimen of the Plumose Anemone, 

 Actinoloba dianthus, we have taken in the Mersey, white or orange 

 variety, one or more of these Pycnogons have been attached to it, but 

 in not one single instance have we seen it on the brown variety of the 

 same polyp, which exists in countless thousands on the Cheshire 

 shores of the river. The other species is an Isopod, Ancens maxillaris, 

 which receives its name from the abnormally large dentate processes 

 with which the male is furnished. The female is not thus formidably 

 armed, and is much rarer than the male. 



The next pool contains two species of Anemones, Sagartia viduata, 

 with enormously long, lithe tentacles, and Bunodes gemmacea, a pretty 

 little polyp with a pink, coral-hued column. The latter is an ag- 

 gravating species to secure, the careful use of hammer and chisel 

 being necessary to dislodge it from the chinks and cracks in which it 

 loves to dwell. It is a commoner species than S. viduata, and of a 

 more robust nature, enabling it to withstand the artificial conditions 

 of the aquarium. We have succeeded in breeding them in captivity, 

 and rearing the larvae to a mature stage. 5. viduata seems to be a 

 very abundant species on the coasts of Devon, if we may judge of the 

 thousands seen during a flying visit paid to Plymouth in the autumn 

 of last year. 



Our attention is now directed to a peculiar white mass, resembling 

 a piece of coiled ribbon, without doubt the ova of a species of Nudi- 

 branch, and a careful search in the vicinity reveals the mollusc, Doris 

 ptilosa, crushed into a narrow aperture in the rock. It may be placed 

 in a glass jar for a few moments, in order to see its beautiful plumose 

 branchiae, but unless the specimen is wanted for some particular pur- 

 pose, it is well to give it liberty again. We find them very commonly, 

 invariably in the neighbourhood of its characteristic egg-ribbons, and, 

 in some instances, engaged in the act of oviposition. Two other 

 species were noted shortly after ; one of a lovely pellucid white, 

 (unidentified), the other, Eolis papulosa. 



