THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COOTTRY GENTLEMAN, Masch 9, 185h. 
too 
One Tery striking characteristic of the Sea flowers, is their 
capability of charging their forms, and this is in no species 
so powerfully exemplified, as in Sagartia angnicorna. of which 
there are three specimens, in dinerent stages of expansion, re¬ 
presented in the cut. This is a most valuable aquarium 
species, and may be preserved for almost anv length of time, 
if properly tended. It has one bad habit, and that is, that it 
•’'hi Sequently let go its foothold, and Ay prostrate on the 
pebbles, so that the slighest 3gitation of the water may spin it 
into some crevice among the rockwork, or send it bouncinz 
circuit the glass sides. Its colonring is very quiet, grey, 
buff, pale brown, and opal white predominate; and the 
m rxmgs of the disk are generally pleasing and delicate. Its 
long n exile tentacnla catch the eye of the most indifferent 
observer, and the patient watcher finds his reward in its 
many extraordinary changes of form. When yon receive 
specimens packed in wet sea-weed, thev are like little buttons 
oi dirty wnite gelatine, but in less than half an hour after vou 
droptnem into the tank, they throw up their tall stems, and 
expand their long delicate in most various ways, 
so that among fifty specimens, there will not be two alike: 
and yet in every stage of presentation, there is not the slightest 
difficulty experienced in determining what they are. Some¬ 
times they take it into their heads to lie full length altogether 
unattached, now contracting themselves to a mere pimnle, 
tnen blowing out the disk, and contracting the base, and at other 
times assuming a regular spiral form, like a fleshy corkscrew: 
but the tentacles are almost always expanded, be the shape of 
the creature what it may. 
The base of an Anemone, which corresponds very closely 
to the organ of adherence in a s nail or perri winkle, is the 
most delicate part of the whole structure. Though hard 
and leathery, m some species aim os I homy, it must never 
be in the slightest degree injured; like Achilles, the most 
vulnerable part of an Anemone is the foot, and though 
most species take little note of the loss of a few rental ula. 
and wiL even mend a hole in their jackets if an accident 
occurs to them ; an injury to the sucking base is pretty sure to 
prove fatal. When hrst introduced to the t ank. Anemone? 
usually he on their sides for a few hours, though they 
generally expand the disk at once; after awhile they get hold 
of whatever their base is nearest to, and if they are healthy, they 
soon hold tight, and have little disposition to move about. In 
a vessel now before me, there are nine out of twelve Aether 
that have not moved the tenth part of an inch during the last six 
or eight weeks, but a couple of amguicoma have been ah that 
while, and hug before, perpetually on the move: and our has 
now ensconced himself in a dark hole which he is endeavour¬ 
ing to illuminate with his splendid snowy stars of moving 
tentacnla. Bunodes claraia, here represented, is one that 
seldom stirs mom its original site: and, when well placed to 
show off its beauty, it conveys to the mind an idea of a dower 
carved in ivory,by the most cunning fairy fingers. The specimen 
from which this has been sketched, has been seated on a block 
of granite since the 10th of December last, and in that time it 
has perceptibly grown, and appears to increase in beauty every 
day. It is nearly always expanded, very seldom indulges in 
contractions, and has a first-rate appetite. But the most 
perfect resemblance to a true fiower, is that presented by 
Actinia belli*, the sea Daisy, of which there are many beautiful 
varieties, all of them moderately hardy. This and Ciarata 
require the water to be kept very pure, and well aired; a few 
days neglect of the vessel may result in their death, and the 
demise of one specimen, if not detected in time, may lead to 
the ruin of the whole, and a general break up of the collection, 
so that those who desire to enjoy the presence of these rare 
Sea dowers, must be vigilant in their attentions. 
The numbers on the cut refer to the specimens as follows : 
—1, 2, 3, Sagartia anguicoma i or snaky-locked Anemone, in 
three different states, the last being shrunk up; 4, Bvnoiej 
clarata in its ordinary force of expansion ; 5, the common 
Mes " expanded, and closed; the row of heads resembling 
torquoises which surrounds the tentac.es, is peeu.iar to this 
species, and adds vastly to its beauty, especially in the rose and 
coral-coloured specimens ; 7, Actinia bell it, me sea Daisy ; 
3, the lovelv red Alga deletteria tangminea, drawn from a 
MEETING OF THE BRITISH HOMOLOGICAL 
SOCIETY. 
A xeetbi of me Ezncnsz: P~y~T.---.~-i- Soanr wa« 
held on Thursday, the 4m insu Ruber: Horn. Esc , ' :*e- 
Presiient. in the chair. 
E. E. Robeesos, Esq., Stem deli Rectory, Woodstock, 
elected an or Unary Member of the Society. 
A though an opportunity was again ah riel to cent 
tors for Mr. 5mutton's prize of Three Guineas fer the best 
six dishes of Pears, none appeared; the lateness of the 
_ i 
season, and the bai-keeiing properties which the lest 
varieties of Pears have almost invariably exhibited this year, 
being a very satisfactory reus:m 5ml. there vis a good 
exhibition of fruit, ax 1 a respectable amen lance cf members. 
Some of the firm: was what remained over trim last 
Meeting, ani among these were the following —Mr. Him 
. of Keele Hah. Staff:rdshire, sen: Josohisz ns Mmrnsxs. 
hhes» were well grown, cmr average-sized frmu ana veil 
coloured: but the flesh -r s= hard an i coarse, with the tenure 
of a Turnip: the jtrise sweet, ani without any favour ■ in 
every resneet vav inferior fruit. The same may be sail cf 
Nz Plus Mzmns. Eu: Izmir rz Hafiz was very tender 
ani meldnz: very : nicy, sweet, and well-have urea. New. 
when in perfection, the two firmer are super! :r Pears to the 
las: though they do not keep so long: still, in lav:nr mi 
texture, they are superior: ani the question arises, what 
are the cinumsuanies that have induced. su:h a condition in 
the firs: twa. without having the same effect on the las: * 
It is one of the objects the Society has kept in view, inn its 
institution, to investigate such questions; and the Assistant 
Secretary was instructed to ascertain fnm Mr. Eh the 
drrum star res of soil, altitude, climate, mi exposure, under 
which they were produced, and to report to the next Meeting- 
Mr. Wight :z. of Cossey lark, near Norwich, sent sgec- 
mens of EasrzzBzrsaz. Ezumzz nz Rafoe,Jzas nz •'bnm- 
Susznrz nz Bavat. and Kfughu's Moxazch, the mien urn 
of which vis to show how, unier the circumstances adipted 
these varieties had kept. Mr.WIghtorp in a ciunmiiimn 
stated that they hai been exposed to the weather since the 
middle of December to the 1st cf March, mi. m several 
instances, subjected to of frost, me :my covering oemg a 
iroken handglass, mere.y to keep :n me urns. AH the 
Tiffeties were in the most perfect state of treserv an on. mt 
as hard as when they vere taken tr:m me tree; when cu; 
thev were perfectly immature, anc did not exhil.i: any pre¬ 
sent symitoms of ripening. except Sutftti de Bovt*. which* 
was rine. juicy, sweet, ana cf gc*c»i navour. 
Johs B'uzgzss. Esc., of Holme Pierrepoirt, Nottingham, 
sent several very nice specimens of BztiiWJt nsszzzs. me 
flavour of which was comp letely spoilt by c-eing pm tea in 
bran. They were perfectly rope, quite ;m;y an a wiiiag. tu; 
the navour was entirely superseded by mat of me arm. It 
is a .aimcult matter to get a good, cheaq. paozang materia.. 
very fine specimen; the plant on the other side is FvrceUaria 
foitigiata, 6, one of the lew purple Algs that may be pre¬ 
served in small collections.—5. H. 
that whi not communicate auavour. He nave seen tan ages 
of fruit rendered perfectly worthless by such packings as 
moss, tow. fiax-dressings, ani bran: the only substance 
which seems to be destitute oi these bad properties :s comm 
wool, commonly called - waddingf ana we have teen taid 
that the catkins of the Bee-cn tree are also web adapted tor 
the purpose. If some of our members would test this ma¬ 
terial during the next season, ani retort, the information 
would t*e serviceable. 
Dr. Davits, cf Persfcore, sent a large Pear, under the 
name of Cadillac, which was I mtiii s M. Gzxjcain : ana 
also specimens of Nz Plus Mzums, which were not 
flavoured. 
Mt . RrvEJts, of Suwbridgeworth. sent men:mens o: three 
varieties that rarely ripen in this country; but when they 
do. are valuable, on account ct their .sre-zeenmr properties. 
In the present instance, there were specimens of A. three 
] ripe. Lios lz Clzz: nz Laval was quite ripe ani memo, 
out quite void of navour. Bitmi a.zzm>>U aU was also 
