ACTINEA, ANIMAL FLOWER. 
I 
N “ The Natural History of many curious and uncommon Zoophytes,” 
collected by the late celebrated Mr. Ellis, and arranged by Dr. Solander, 
^ le characters cf this fpecies are given as follows : 
cr AnFmal Flower. This animal fixes itfelfby its bafe: is of a flefhy fubftance, 
an d a roundifn oblong form : capable of extending or contracting itfelf. It pro- 
duces its young alive through its mouth. The mouth, which is in the middle of the 
ll Ppor part, is capable of great extenlion, and is furrounded by rows of claws or 
te ntacles : it has no other opening but that.” 
The varieties, however, of which there are engravings in that work, are not nu- 
merous, nor are the fpecific differences fo accurately defined as that their identity, 
without plates, can be eafily afeertained. Several additional characters of indi- 
viduals, given by the above and other eminent naturalifts, would apply to the very 
beautiful Actinea here delineated. “ The feelers are of various colours, as red, 
blue, and white, from eighty to a hundred in number j” the circumference of the 
mouth is ftriated, furrounded with fhort petals like thofe of the Sun Flower , and 
dtofe again with white tentacula barred with brown. When drawn in, it affumes 
die form of a bell. The body of a pale red*. 
Few marine productions can have a greater claim to a faithful reprefentation than 
diis 5 not on any account of their being new and uncommon, for they are in great 
P^nty and variety along all the Briti/h fhores ; but becaufe it is fo extremely difficult 
to preferve them in an expanded ftate when taken from their native rocks. It would 
a Ppear that they never die, but with all their tentacula completely folded in and con- 
Ce aled ; they only fpread in their native element, and cannot or will not unfold their 
ra Ys when dry. The moment that any fpirit touches them, when alive, they con- 
'mCt, retreat, and ffiut up all their feelers ; fo that it is fcarce poffible to preferve 
^ e m, for the cabinets of the curious, but devoid of all their fymmetry and beauty. 
et the rich variety of colours which their rays exhibit — the exaCt and charming 
re gularity vifible in that legion of arms which furrounds the mouth — the delicate 
Sedations wherewith the feveral tints foften away into the clear tranfparency of the 
more extended tentacula — the gentle radiations that fpread from the fmooth central 
1 c — and the orderly ranges in which the feelers are placed — afford a fpecimen of 
e3it taordinary elegance, which is well entitled to our admiration, and fufficient 
^P°l°gy f or rhe delineation here given of an animal, of which myriads embelliffi 
jj e c °aft. But, befides, there are peculiarities in the organization of this animal 
° v '”er, that are not noticed in the above work; where, however, the juft remark oc- 
tc that there are a great variety of fpecies of Actinea not. yet deferibed f .” 
That this animal has no other aperture or opening but the mouth,” is only an, 
a ^ ec Pjate definition in a circumfcribed fenfe ; for every one of the tentacula has.. 
L 0ri hce at the extremity, through which it fucks in the tide, and' by which it catches 
d 0n atoms floating by ; and thefe feelers are endowed with an inftinftive capa- 
Rritijh Zoology, vol, iv. clafs vi. of Worms, 
f Nat, FUJI, of Zoophytes, p. 4. 
s S ' -5 
