114 



MADREPORE. 



living substance emerges from the chalky plates^ 

 and after a while puts forth a number of ten- 

 tacles, tinted with most delicate hues, and much 

 resembling those of the anemones, except that 

 each tentacle is terminated by a little globular 

 head. These tentacles, like those of the anemones, 

 are covered with filiferous capsules, and adhere 

 to the hand in much the same manner, though 

 not so strongly. This madrepore is voracious 

 enough in its own way, but does not seem to care 

 very much for food supplied artificially. I had 

 a specimen alive for some months, but could not 

 get it to eat any but the minutest portions of 

 meat, while it would have nothing to do with a 

 small fly; yet it was healthy, and almost con- 

 stantly protruded its transparent tentacles. The 

 proximate cause of its death appeared to be 

 attributable to a bad-tempered Daisy Anemone 

 (Actinia hellis), which lived in a cave like a 

 hermit, and did not approve of intrusion. I 

 am accustomed to stir the water daily, in order 

 to imitate as far as possible the natural stir of 

 the sea, and in so doing this madrepore was 

 washed into the cave where resided the daisy 

 anemone. Although it was speedily replaced in 

 its own little home, which had been specially 

 chiselled in the rock, it never properly recovered ; 



