336 
REPORT ON ZOOLOGY, MDCCCXLII : 
reach of its tentacula. Internally, its structure is similar to that of 
others of its tribe. 
A new genus of Actinia has been characterized by Quatrefages, 
under the name of Edwardsia (Ann. de Sc. Nat. t. xviii. p. 65), 
the species of which, like that of Forbes just mentioned, do not fix 
themselves by a foot, but live free in the sea-sand. The body is 
cylindric and vermiform when stretched out, posteriorly rounded and 
swollen. Quatrefages has given the following diagnosis of this re- 
markable Zoophyte : — “ Corpus liberum, vermiforme ; pars media plus 
minusve epidermate opaco incrassata, pars anterior pellucida, ten- 
taculis ornata; posterior autem vitrea, rotundata, basi vix instructa; 
utraque exsertilis et retractilis. Intestinum rectum, mesenterio inter- 
rupto suspensum, posterius large apertum, duabus partibus compo- 
situm: Sinus octo posteriori intus eminentes quibus pendent totidem 
ovaria, usque ad extremum abdomen producti.” Quatrefages has dis- 
covered three different species of this genus in the Channel, on the 
French coast. The first species, Edwardsia Beautempsii, is 6-7 cen- 
tim. long, of a yellowish-red colour, passing posteriorly into yeUowish- 
green or blue. As specifically different from the other two, it is 
characterized : — “ Ore terininale in extremitate papillae subconicae, circum 
basim tentaculatae ; tentaculis 14-16 uniseriatis ; parte media subpoly- 
gonali ; epidermate crasso, opacissimo, fulvo-rubente.” The second 
species, Edwardsia timida, is also 6-7 centim. long, and possesses the 
following specific character : — “ Apice piano, tentaculis 20-24 uniseriatis 
circumdato ; parte media vix subpolygonali ; epidermate tenui, paulu- 
lum translucido, fulvo.” The third species, Edwardsia Harassi, is only 
5^ centim. long, and is distinguished by the following characters : — “ Pa- 
pilla terminal! rotundata, tentaculis 24 biseriatis ad basim circumdata ; 
parte media cylindrica; epidermate crasso, opacissimo, obscure fulvo.” 
These ActincB inhabit such spots of the sandy sea-mud as are caused by 
the alternation of the ebb and flow of the tide ; in the ebb they retreat 
within their tubes. They are extremely contractile, and can, like the 
HolothuricE, eject their intestinal canal out of the body. Each of these 
three species use their tentacles in a peculiar manner in unfolding and 
expanding. In the Edw. Beautempsii the tentacles are stiff ; in the 
Edw. timida they are spread out irregularly, and are in constant 
motion ; and in the Edw. Harassi one row is directed stiffly upwards, 
the other downwards. The motions of these Actiniae are altogether 
vermiform ; their food consists of small Crustacea and Spirorhes. Qua- 
trefages kept them in a glass with sea-water, and remarked that they 
cast the skin. Their whole body was covered with the stinging organs 
peculiar to all Actinia. The intestinal canal passes straight through 
the cavity of the body ; its external surface, as well as the internal sur- 
face of the cavity, is covered by a vibratory epithelium. The ovaries 
380 
