152 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 5, 1860. 
on his first interview with this small Proteus, would be impossible; 
although, on watching him for a short space of time, he might 
choose to assume the very shape required. Whether he be a bag, 
a cup, or an hour-glass, it is equally the same to him. His 
favourite position, however, is to hang from a portion ot rock in 
the likeness of a Daisy. This specimen must not at the same 
time be confounded with the Daisy Anemone, which we shall 
mention presently. 
There is another species of zoophyte called the Sea Carnation 
(Actinia clianthus), from its supposed resemblance to that 
flower. This specimen presents so very charming an appearance 
as to have earned the complimentary appellation of “ Pulcher- 
rima Actiniarum,” (the most beautiful of the Actinia*,) and it 
can certainly lay some claim to the title. Its peculiar beauty 
consists in its being furnished with innumerable layers of tiny 
tentacles round the margin of the disk, and which present the 
appearance of a thick fringe. The Sea Carnation would seem to 
he in some measure distinct from the ordinary members of the 
class to which it belongs, inasmuch as it is permanently attached 
to the object it adheres to. Nor is it possible to detach it with¬ 
out serious injury to the base. For this reason most probably it 
is, that these elegant creatures are always found in groups, one 
of larger size in the centre, which may be looked upon as the 
“ Paterfamilias” of the colony, surrounded by numbers of others 
of smaller growth ; and if not a happy, although there is no 
reason to doubt that, they certainly are a very beautiful family. 
It is not uncommon, however, that their compulsorily crowded 
position results in two or three of the younger ones uniting and 
becoming one; but the apparent inconvenience of such an 
alliance does not seem to be felt by the contracting parties, or 
to have any ill-effect either upon their health or condition. The 
Sea Carnation is found on rocks and shells, either in the deep 
water, or in localities within the low-tide mark. It is not con¬ 
fined to any one coast in particular. 
Another specimen, the Sea Marigold (Actinia calendula), is 
sometimes seen on our shores ; but being for the most part, and, 
unless by accident, invariably a resident of the deep water, and 
having, into the bargain, no particular speciality to call for further 
detail, we shall dismiss it; for it must be borne in mind that 
these observations are not intended for the reader of science, but 
merely for the industrious tourist and collector: therefore, it is 
barely worth while to w'aste his time with the description of an 
object he is very unlikely ever to meet with. 
Another variety which is more particularly to be found on the 
coasts of Cornwall, is called the “ Parasite ” {Actiniaparasitica ). 
This creature has, it would appear, a great fancy for locomo¬ 
tion, and being fully conscious^of the shortcomings of its own 
power in that respect, very sensibly attaches itself to the back 
and claws of the crab, or to the shell of a mollusc, and in this 
manner enjoys the pleasure of travelling without fatigue. It is 
columnar in form, and has a hardish skin covered with small 
warty excrescences. In our drawing a hermit crab is repre¬ 
sented inhabiting a buccinum shell, with two specimens of 
A. parasitica attached. 
We come now to the Daisy Anemone (Actinia lellis), which is 
also most common to Cornwall, but is very frequently found on 
any of the southern coasts, its location being ordinarily in 
crevices in the pools. The Daisy Anemone is an extremely 
beautiful creature ; it has a very small base, which rises cylindri- 
cally to the disk, and presents when expanded perhaps the most 
perfect resemblance to a ilower of any of the species. The slender 
body, stalk-like, sustains the delicate head starred with a coronal 
of variegated rays or tentacles. It is frequently seen growing in 
the fissures of the rocks, the stem or body being concealed within, 
the graceful head only extending, and might very well, when 
expanded, be mistaken for a bright marine flower growing out 
of the crevice. The Daisy Anemone has the privilege, and seems 
1 to enjoy the exercise, of varying its form at will. 
We shall just briefly mention one more specimen of the Actinia, 
not on account of its particular beauty, or the likelihood of its 
being met with, but because it is the largest of the species known 
to the British coasts. It bears the title of the “ Actinia Tuedice ,” 
which was given to it by the able zoologist Dr. Johnston, from 
Tuedia, the ancient name of Berwick, off the coast of which 
district it is chiefly found. It is, however, by no means common, 
as it always resides in the deep water, can only be procured by 
the aid of*a hook, or drag, by which process the animal is usually 
mutilated and rendered altogether unfit for examination. The 
A. Tuedice is a clumsy-looking creature, of a brownish-red colour. 
Its disk when expanded measures about four inches across, 
having tentacles about two inches long, although their length 
decreases gradually towards the outer rim. 
We shall add nothing more to our sketch of the Actinia 1 , nor 
must it be supposed that we have entered into full and minute 
details of this interesting class of the zoophytes; but we trust 
enough has been said to arouse the interest, and stimulate the 
curiosity of the sea-side tourist, and in some degree to assist him 
in his investigations.—W. 
(To be continued.) 
EARLY-FLOWERING HARDY PLANTS. 
Your correspondent “ II. N. E.” wishes to enlarge the list of 
plants flowering between the 1st of January and the 1st of May ; 
and to his own list he may add the following :—Arenaria Cala- 
brica, Corchorus Japonica, Berleris Japonica, Pyrus Japonica, 
Soldanella alpina. Rhododendron Caucasicum pictum , Sweet 
Woodruff, Bulbocodium vernum, Peach (double-flowering), Ra¬ 
nunculus aconitifolius , Sea Pink, Scorpio, senna, Spurge Laurel. 
I have put down in this list Rerberis Japonica , because it 
flowered with me; but it is right to say it was in a pot, and had 
been partially protected during the winter. 
I should not think of troubling you with this, but that I have 
found your lists of plants flowering at certain seasons very useful j 
and as I have all your numbers bound up, I refer to your last 
year’s lists as guides for this season’s ornament. 
Your correspondent has put in his list Erica cineria alba. I 
have never, I think, seen it flower as early as any time in May ; 
and on looking for it in The Cottage Gardener's Dictionary, 1 
cannot find our native Heaths named at all, though under the 
heads of “Heather” and “ Calluna ” we are referred to “Erica ” 
where I could not find them.—D. C. M. 
THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF 
PLANTS. 
So numerous are the suggestions that have been made, and 
diverse the processes recommended to be pursued in the pre¬ 
servation of plants by different botanists, that it will be quite 
impossible for us, with the small space that we have at our 
disposal, to do more than give a brief outline of such a mode of 
procedure as we think to be the most simple and generally suc¬ 
cessful. It is not possible to lay down any process adapted for 
the treatment of all plants ; the colours of some are so fugitive 
that it is impossible to preserve them by the ordinary mode of 
procedure, and practice alone will render the collector familiar 
with the best methods to adopt in such cases. The following 
i materials and instruments will be found necessary to any one 
j contemplating the collection of an herbarium. A vasculum, 
trowel or digger, field-book, drying paper, mounting paper, 
some wooden boards the same size as the drying paper, a lancet- 
pointed knife, a forceps, and a lens, or small microscope; the 
