THE NEW YORK AQUARIUM JOURNAL. 
59 
and evince, by the action of the tentacles, an 
evident desire for a like attention. As a fur¬ 
ther evidence of an intelligent will it should 
be stated that in certain cases where their ex¬ 
posed position is likely to attract attention 
the anemones cover themselves with fragments 
of shell, sea-weed and gravel, and thus evade 
discovery. 
Although the anemones, as a class, are 
not migratory in their habits, yet they 
possess the power of locomotion in such a 
degree that soon after a colony of them had 
been placed in one of the Aquarium tanks 
several had climed up the polished glass sides 
by means of the slow contractile motion of 
the expanded base. This method of locomo¬ 
tion is oftenest seen in the actinoloba dianthus, 
of which many beautiful specimens are to be 
viewed in the tanks of the New York Aqua¬ 
rium. These, according to Lloyd, have been 
known to travel from three to six inches in 
twenty-four hoirrs, not very rapid progress it 
is true, and yet wonderful enough when ap¬ 
parently accomplished by the aid of no special 
organs of locomotion. It is also claimed, 
though open to verification, that certain 
species turn themselves over and walk on their 
tentacles. A second and better authenticated 
method of locomotion is that due to the infla¬ 
tion of the interior in such a manner that it 
shall act as a bladder or buoy. It is said that 
by means of an air cavity at the base, contain- 
air cells, the Actineta lies on the water with its 
base uppermost and in this position is carried 
along by the winds and currents. 
In pursuing our inquiries into the question 
of birth and propagation, we find in the anem¬ 
one a most fruitful theme for study and obser¬ 
vation. There appears to be in this class no 
distinction of sex, and the authenticated 
methods of multiplication are two-fold by the 
ordinary means of ova and by the detachment 
and subsequent development of portions of 
the parent stock. In the case of development 
from the ova or egg, Agassiz states that the 
eggs, when first observed, hang on the inner 
edges of the interior partition, from which 
they fall into the inner digestive cavity, and 
from thence are discharged through the 
mouth. This embryo is semi-transparent, ob¬ 
long and entirely covered with vibratile celia, 
by the aid of which it swims or is drifted to 
some rock, to which it becomes firmly attached, 
and upon which its subsequent growth and 
development are accomplishe I. Certain spe¬ 
cies are extremely prolific, a single individual 
bringing forth as many as three hundred 
young a day. The second, and by far the 
most curious and interesting method of mul¬ 
tiplication, is that accomplished by means of 
detached portions, which may be described as 
follows: — When a large anemone has re¬ 
mained adherent to one spot, and at length 
chosos to change its quarters, it does so by 
the slow movement above indicated. But it 
frequently happens that small irregular frag¬ 
ments of the extended base are left behind, 
as though toru oil. These fragments, how¬ 
ever, contain the germs of an individual life, 
and first contract into a general circular form; 
then the dome-like development follows, and 
thus, step by step, the semblance of a crea¬ 
ture is assumed, till from the severed piece a 
new anemone is formed, and this agrees in 
type with its parent. One observer states 
that, having cut off a minute piece of the 
base of a sea anemone, the detached portion 
immediately seceded from the parent, and in 
three weeks became a perfect actinia. Pieces 
from this were again remove d in like manner, 
ANEMONE FROM BAY OF FUNDY. 
until in the end fourteen living and fully de¬ 
veloped specimens were obtained from the 
original. 
In the case of the ravenous specimen above 
described, that swallowed the pecten, we ob¬ 
served how readily the body adapted itself to 
tions grow and develop, but their place will 
be made good on the original member by a 
subsequent restoration of the detached por¬ 
tion. 
In proof that in this record no attempt is 
made to exalt the wonders of these strange 
creatures, it should be known that these very 
processes are to be constantly observed in the 
anemones at the Aquarium, which are now 
multiplying at so rapid a rate that a removal 
of the excess will soon be necessary. 
Though enough has been already shown of 
the habits and structure of the anemone to as- 
ANEMONE AND HERMIT-CRAB. 
sure for it our special favor, yet there still re¬ 
mains that which cannot fail to heighten our 
interest. We refer to the distinctive habits of 
what is known as the Sagar/ia purasitica. Of 
the peculiar ways of this creature pages have 
been and might still be written. It is the regu¬ 
lar habit of members of this special group to at¬ 
tach themselves to the shell of a hermit-crab; 
by this means they not only are assured of a 
frequent change of location, but are enabled to 
render some service in return. In his work on 
‘Animal Parasites and Messmates,” Van Bene- 
den states that an understanding appears to exist 
between the crab and its living burden, so that 
the anemone lives off from the food captured 
by the crab; and it has actually been observed 
that in certain instances, when the crab is about 
to change into a new shell, as is its custom, he 
manoeuvres with all delicacy to make the anem¬ 
one change also. Again, referring to the evi¬ 
dence of Lloyd, to whom the public are indebt¬ 
ed for the successful establishment of grand 
aquaria, we learn that the Adamsia paJliata lives 
on the shell occupied by the hermit-crab, but 
not mounted on the dome of the shell but fas¬ 
tened to the edge of the mouth, with its base 
over-lapping. The hermit thus carries it with 
the tentacles downward, which thus act as a 
broom sweeping up the food before it. Another 
strikingly interesting fact is that this anemone 
always accompanies the same species of hermit- 
crab, and the two are never found separated. 
When the hermit changes its shell it carefully 
peals off the anemone from the discarded one 
and transfers it to the new abode. Nor is it as 
a comrade alone that the anemone distinguishes 
itself, for in certain instances, their extended sac 
or stomach acts as a retreat and place of refuge 
for some of the higher forms of marine life. 
Lieut, de Crispigny is said to have observed a 
sea-anemone (actinia crassicornis ) which lived on 
such neighborly terms with a malacopterygian 
fish, the Premas biacuhatus, that the latter ac- 
- tBaU gj pte ae tfet ed-iate^hetatarior of its protector. ' 
Here shut in by the hedge of tentacles, the fish 
lives in perfect security for months. 
Having indicated by indirect reference to the 
beauty of the many species of anemones we 
may briefly refer to certain special forms, among 
these the Dahlia Wartlet may be recognized for 
its intimate resemblance, both in form and color, 
to the flower from whence its name is taken. 
The Actinoloba dianthus , of which a very rare 
collection may be seen at the Aquarium, is re¬ 
garded as among the most favored and prolific. 
The Beadlet, Snake-locked and scores of others 
each deserve attention on account of some 
special charm and beauty either of tint or struc¬ 
ture. As to size, the full grown anemones vary 
according to species. The Thick-homed (Tealia 
crassicornis) occasionally expands to a diameter 
of ten inches, while the delicate little Edwardsta 
carnea measures but one-tenth of an inch even 
when fully grown. 
As to age no absolute record is at hand, 
though one taken from the sea by the late Sir 
John Graham Dalyell, in the year 1828, is 
still living. During this time it has given birth 
to over one thousand young, and is still as active 
as when captured forty-eight years ago. 
In this instance, as in many others of like 
kind, there was no method for determining the 
age of the anemone at the time of its capture; 
hence the record is of value chiefly as showing 
how well they thrive in captivity. 
Although at the risk of the reader’s patience 
we have claimed his attention so long, yet in 
ending it is with the confident assurance that to 
the naturalist, or to him who would become one, 
the theme will prove one of the most engaging 
of all those which Nature has offered for the con¬ 
templation of her enthusiastic disciples. 
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up ot 
the new conditions, pud this is also illustrated 
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