608 Badiata. 
tentacles. The tentacles are sometimes short and stout, 
sometimes long and slender ; they are generally adorned 
with vivid or delicate colours, often disposed in rings 
and contrasting beautifully with the colours of the stem 
and disc. In their expanded state they present a close 
resemblance to a flower, and indeed vie with many 
flowers in beauty ; hence the name of Animal Flowers was 
given to them formerly, and has now given place to that 
of Sea Anemones, although they are rather to be com- 
pared with those composite flowers in which numerous 
petal-like flowerets radiate from a central disc. When 
contracted, the Sea Anemones resemble soft knobs or 
buttons, with a depression at the top. 
In describing the Stony Corals, the fact has been 
mentioned that the Polyps, which may be regarded as 
the architects of those extraordinary structures, are very 
similar to the Sea Anemones. In the latter, the cavity 
surrounding the central stomach is partially divided into 
chambers, by partitions, which run inwards from the 
circumference towards the centre : in the Coral Polyps 
each of these partitions produces a stony plate. in its 
substance, and these plates form the rays which occupy 
the interior of the Polyp-cell. 
The Sea Anemones move slowly along by the action 
of their adheiing disc, somewhat in the same way that 
a snail or slug crawls upon the ground. Their food is 
obtained by means of the tentacles which give them their 
beautiful flower-like character, and to render them effi- 
cient organs for this purpose they are endowed with a 
singular provision. The skin of the tentacles, and, 
indeed, of most parts of the Sea Anemone is filled with 
little cells or vesicles, each containing a spiral thread, 
which when touched instantly darts forth, and penetrates 
the body coming in contact with it. In this way, if a 
worm, a small fish, or any other soft animal touches the 
tentacles of an Anemone, it is instantly transfixed with 
innumerable delicate darts, which not only assist the 
tentacles in holding the destined prey, but also seem to 
exercise a sort of numbing influence upon the victim, 
deadening his struggles and rendering him an easy 
conquest. He is then speedily passed by the tentacles 
